Death Note Short Stories
by teamLNMM
Summary: A series of short, chapter long stories for "Death Note" that I will create, but you, as a reader, can be apart of as well. Details for how this series will work are in "Rules and Guidelines".
1. Rules and Guidelines

Greetings, readers.

Before you read my first "Death Note" short story, I have a few things to say—along with some useful details to how this series will work.

First of all, I will, occasionally, ask you—the readers—to give me a random idea for a chapter long, short story. You can involve any of the "Death Note" characters you wish, but there are a few, minor guidelines to abide by.

**Rule ****#1.** **No ****yaoi.**

I will not write anything about it… in a serious setting, that is. If that must be your choice topic, then I will write it in a tasteful, shonen-ai-ish, comical type of way. Who knows, I think it could be pretty amusing.

**Rule ****#2.** **Do ****not ****suggest ****anything****'M ****rated'.**

That goes for any setting, but, for me, the main concern is yaoi. That's right, I know how some of you guys work… I've been watching you… Ha! I'm just messing around with you all… but, seriously, nothing distasteful.

**Rule ****#3.** **Please, do ****not ****suggest ****anything ****too ****complicated.**

I love a good challenge, but don't give me anything too overdone to work with. All I need is a single topic, and the characters needed for the story. That's all—simple as that. Just give me those necessities, and I will take care of the rest.

**(And lastly) Rule #4. ~ Absolutely, ABSOLUTELY, no OCs.**

I will not write in an OC, for anyone. If I do, it will be a person that I have created, and their role will not be that important or major. The reason why? I don't care for OCs, in an already constructed series, that much, really.

In my story, "Bonding Experience" I created a few, but only for the purpose of needing them (they were very necessary) and their time around was brief. In short, I will not create anyone that is uneeded or overly done. I am not saying any of this out of offense, so, please, no one think of it, as that.

**The things that I will do, as the writer.**

Sometimes, I will write my own stories for this, and, at other times, I will ask my friends or you—the readers—to give me something to work with. Whenever I ask for an idea, I will select one idea, from one person, per chapter. I will, then, begin writing the short story, inspired by that person's idea.

All right, I believe I have covered everything. If anyone has a question, don't hesitate to ask me.

I am doing this to further test my skills as a writer, and I, of course, want to have some fun with it, along the way. I hope to get some good and interesting topics from you all! I, also, hope that you will all enjoy reading these stories, as much as I enjoy writing them.

Without further ado, let's begin.


	2. Wammy's Art Class

**I'm sure you have all read "Rules and Guidelines" at this point. If so, that's good and hope everyone understands my views and takes on things.**

**I chose Tanglepelt, one of my readers, to pick the first story topic. She picked an art class setting at the Wammy Orphanage, with a few scenes that she shared with me. I liked them, combined them with my own ideas, and here's the result. **

**Thank you, Tanglepelt. This story is in your honor.**

* * *

><p><strong>Story 1 <strong>

**Wammy's Art Class**

* * *

><p>It was just any other day at the Wammy Orphanage. All of the children were attending their own studies and classes, some aiming to succeed L and others striving for their own, personal goals.<p>

For a young, ten-year-old Near, however, it would be a different day. He was currently being taken—by Roger—to a completely new class, and it would be a subject that he had never even attempted before… art.

Roger had thought that, since Near was such an excellent student, he should try something out of his element. Also, what Roger really hoped to see, was a more creative side of Near.

'_Perhaps, we'll see something impressive from Near participating in this art class,'_ thought Roger, as he continued to lead the white haired boy to his new class. _'He might even begin to open up.'_

The two turned a corner, in the long hallway, and were suddenly in front of the art class's door.

"Roger," Near asked, before the older man put his hand on the door knob, "do I really have to do this? Is it really necessary?"

Roger looked down at the young boy and smiled sympathetically. "Are you nervous?"

"No, sir, I'm not," Near answered. "I just don't see why I have to do it."

"Well, just think of it as another test," Roger replied. "I just want to see how you will do in an entirely new setting. Is that all right?"

"I suppose…"

"If you don't feel the need to take this class, after one session, then you won't have to participate anymore," Roger told him. "How does that sound?"

Near paused for a second and then nodded once in agreement. "That's fine with me; I'll do it."

Roger kindly smiled at the boy again, and put his hand on the door knob. "Good. I do think you'll appreciate it, regardless if you decide to keep taking this class or not, Near."

The older gentleman opened the door, and then stepped aside for Near to walk in.

The art class had already begun, but, once Near had completely entered the room, it filled with an awkward silence. Every other student, in the class, had stopped to look at the quiet child at the door.

Some of the other children began to whisper amongst themselves about Near's unexpected presence, while others just went back to doing their work.

One, obvious voice, however, rang out in response to the new addition of the class.

"What's the sheep doing _here_?"

"Mello!" Roger scolded, "If I hear that you've caused Near any trouble today, you will be in a lot of trouble!"

The whole classroom burst into a chorus of low snickers, as Mello sank back into his chair. _'Great, just great! Why does Near just _have_ to be in this class? _Why_?'_

"Ah, cheer up, Mels," a goggled brunette, sitting to the right of Mello, told him. "It's not like it'll kill you if Near joins this class."

"Uh, yeah, it will, Matt," the blond replied in a hushed tone. "It's just one more thing he can beat me at!"

"Okay," the art instructor began, "would anyone like for Near to join them in their area?"

Everyone in the class fell silent again. Every kid, taking the class, especially didn't want the strange, albino kid sitting next to them.

"Oh, oh, over here!" Matt spoke up, pointing to empty seat beside Mello. "There's a spot right here!"

'_Matt… I'll _kill_ you.'_ Mello really wanted to grab his 'friend' by his shirt collar and pound him into the ground for suggesting that, but, because of Roger's orders, he was not allowed to say anything negative towards Near… or cause physical harm for anyone else.

The rest of the class expected for Mello to explode at any moment, as they all watched Near walk towards the back of the class room and casually take the empty seat beside Mello. After a few seconds of watching, they all turned around to resume their work again.

"Welcome to the class, Near," Matt greeted the younger boy.

Near nodded once and muttered a small, "Thanks."

Matt cleared his throat and nudged Mello's side. "Uh, dude, you wanna say anything?"

Mello twitched and then turned his irritated gaze towards Near. "Okay, let's get a few things straight: don't talk to me, don't look at me, and, most importantly, _don't_ touch me. Got it?"

"… Whatever you say, Mello," Near responded.

Matt shook his head. _'Rude as ever, man.' _

"Matt?"

"Uh, yeah, Near?"

"What are we supposed to be doing right now, anyway?"

"Oh, uh, we're just sketching today," the brunette told him. "Here's some supplies you can use," he handed Near a piece of blank, white paper and a pencil, "This is all you'll need. The instructor just told us to draw whatever comes to mind."

Mello quick glanced at Matt. '_Why are you being nice to this guy, Matt? _He's _the enemy!'_

'_Whatever comes to mind?'_ Near thought to himself_, 'Hm…'_

* * *

><p>After half an hour of sketching quietly, Matt lifted his masterpiece up to his face and smiled with glee.<p>

"It's done," Matt said to himself. "It's so _cool_!"

The best art student in Wammy's, Linda, was sitting on a stool a mere two feet away from the brunette. He tapped her on the shoulder, from behind, and showed her his piece of art.

"What do you think, Linda," Matt innocently asked her, holding up his paper. "It's based off of the game "Pac Man". See the round, yellow face with the brown hair and goggles?" he asked, pointing to it, "That's me. I call him 'Pac Matt'… What do you think?"

She gave Matt and his 'art' a scrutinizing gaze. "That's not art, it's just stupid." After saying that, she turned around to finish whatever she was working on.

Mello was watching Linda out of the corner of his eye and scowled at how impolite she was being to his friend. _'Tch, she's such a 'Miss goody-two-shoes' around Roger, but an overconfident brat when it comes to 'art'.'_

Matt blinked for a moment and then put his 'Pac Matt' picture back on the table. "Eh, whatever, I like it anyway," he whispered to his companions.

"… I think it says a lot about what you like, Matt," Near told him.

'_And _he_,'_ Mello thought_, 'is just sucking up.'_

The goggled brunette smiled at Near and replied with a, "Thanks."

Matt, then, turned to Mello. "What are drawing, Mello?"

"Oh, uh-"

"Is that supposed to be me?" Near asked the blond, leaning over to look at Mello's sketch.

Mello firmly locked a gaze with the white haired boy. "And you're talking to me, because…?"

Near ignored him and went on with what he was seeing in Mello's picture. "That looks like me in the bottom, right corner and you, holding something, on the left side…" he smirked in amusement," Is that supposed to be a picture of you trying to shoot me, Mello?"

"N-No," Mello replied, balling up his 'art' with his hands and tossing it behind him. "That wasn't it at all, _smart_ guy."

Matt restrained the urge to laugh. _'He got'cha again, Mels, but you deserved that!'_

"Well, what about you, _Near_?" Mello harshly questioned him. "What are you hiding there?"

The younger boy looked down at his arms, which were covering his artwork. "It's nothing, really-"

"Well, _I_ wanna look at it," Mello interrupted, forcefully grabbing Near's arms and pulling them off of the hidden sketch. "I bet it's just some, dumb…" he looked down at Near's drawing and went wide eyed, "Holy…"

"What," Matt asked, as he peered over his blond friend's shoulder. "What did he… Whoa… Near… how did you draw such a good, and quick, rough sketch of the "Mona Lisa"?"

Some of the other kids heard Matt and turned around to see what he was talking about. Linda also heard the brunette, but didn't turn around.

"Well," Near began, gently pulling his arms from Mello's grasp, "you said to draw the first thing that came to mind, and, when I usually think of art, the "Mona Lisa" is one of the first things I think of."

A tan skinned boy, with black hair and brown eyes, was sitting about two feet away from Near and leaned over to see the drawing for himself. When he saw it, his eyes widened a little.

"Wow, that's pretty cool, Near! Not to mention, detailed!" the young, tan boy enthusiastically told him. "That's better than half the stuff I've seen Linda draw in that amount of time."

Linda heard his comment, and finally turned around to view the picture for herself. She narrowed her eyes and rotated her head back around, not making eye contact with anyone.

Mello smirked at her behavior. _'Well, I still hate Near, but I guess I have to hand it to him this one time… He beat someone else for change, and it was someone who deserved it.' _

* * *

><p>Roger sat in his office, reading over the weekly records of the schooling children at the orphanage. He smiled to himself, thinking about what young Matt had told him earlier that afternoon.<p>

_..._

"_It was great, Roger," the brunette told him. "Near was great in the class! He actually did the best!"_

"_That's wonderful," the older man chuckled. "Does he want to continue the art classes?"_

_Matt shrugged. "I don't know, but I asked him about it earlier. He said that it was nice, but he thought he should be investing his time into other things… I think he had a good time, anyway, though."_

_..._

Roger got up from his chair and walked over to his study's window. The sun was beginning to tuck itself away for the evening, just like the orphanage's children.

_'I think Near made the right choice,'_ the elderly man thought. _'He's an intelligent boy, and he'll go far… but I still wonder about his sociality issues,'_ he shrugged slightly and scratched the back of his head.

'_He'll be fine, with time… He should be just fine.' _

* * *

><p><strong>Well, what did you all think of my first, short story? I know that Tanglepelt likes it, for she has already seen it ahead of time.<strong>

**Tanglepelt, thank you for giving me such a good inspiration for this story, and thank you to everyone who read it. I hope to create good stories throughout this series.**

**For the next story, I want another reader's topic. I hope to see good, creative ideas!**


	3. It Never Would Have Happened

**This next short story took awhile for me to write, but, of course, the reason why is because I want to demonstrate my very best work. Thank you all for saying good things about my first story.**

**It took me a moment, at first, but I wound up choosing 9shadowcat9's story suggestion. I picked hers, because, upon viewing it, the simplicity of it gave me various ideas of how to write it out. **

**Stormygio - I appreciated such a different topic, with your suggestion, but, in the end, I could not think of a good way to write it out. It was not a bad suggestion, and enjoying viewing it. Thank you.**

**H - Do not fear, I am not Kira, and I would never use the powers of a Death Note upon anyone, even if I did possess one. As for your suggestion, I really did like it, but I could not think of a way to write it without extending it beyond it's limitations. Also, I personally don't want to give L the powers of the Death Note, even if it is in an alternate universe. Still, I appreciated your idea, and I thank you for it.**

**9shadowcat9, this story was written in your honor, I enjoyed my time while working on this, and I hope you will like it. I hope it is realistic enough for you and everyone else who reads it.**

* * *

><p><strong>Story 2<strong>

**It Never Would Have Happened…**

* * *

><p>Matt didn't really know what to think at first. He had just caught his very best friend, Mello, in the act of bullying Near again. Only this time, Mello had gone as far as punching the smaller boy's chest and violently knocking him onto his back.<p>

Matt had only seen that act of brutality and had heard nothing of why Mello had done it, for he had never seen the blond become so enraged at Near before. Matt had simply walked into the seemingly empty, common room—playing one of his various Nintendo DS games—and had looked up in time to witness it.

Mello had not noticed his friend enter the room, but proceeded to torment the younger boy even further. He bent down, menacingly hovering over Near's body, and pinned the boy's right shoulder down with his hand. Mello's eyes seemed to blaze in ferocity, as he curled his free hand, drew it back, and-

"_Stop_!"

Mello froze, his expression transforming from anger to surprise. "Matt?"

The fourteen-year-old brunette silently stomped forward and shoved Mello away from Near's fallen form. "I've had enough of this, Mello!" he raised his voice, "I don't know why you're bullying Near again, and I don't care, but I've never seen you look so mad before!"

The blond only kept a steady, sharp gaze locked on Matt's hidden eyes. The yellow-tinted goggles, Matt wore, were keeping the intensity of his eyes a secret, but Mello could tell that his friend was entirely serious. _'Come on, Matt, you know Near deserves to get punched in the face!' _

Matt looked down at Near, and immediately knelt down to the white haired boy's level. He reached his hand around Near's shoulders and raised him up into a sitting position. "Are you all right, Near?"

"Yes," Near evenly responded. "I am, thank you."

Matt squinted through his goggles, trying to search for a foreign emotion within Near's eyes… Nothing, as usual, but Matt could feel a slight tremble radiating from Near's body—a small indication that revealed how the younger boy was truly feeling.

The brunette quietly sighed, and looked over in Mello's direction again. He was getting off of the floor, but his expression still revealed how irritated he was. _'I know it's not unnatural to see Mello do this kind of thing, but he was really going to _hurt_ Near this time… much more brutally then ever.' _A cold chill slithered up Matt's spine, imagining what kind of physical pain Near would have felt from Mello's unrestrained punch.

As Matt had said, he had had enough of Mello's cruel antics. He was not going to stand in the background, as usual, and do nothing. No, he was going to fix this… The only problem, however, was that he didn't know how. _'… I'll think of something.'_

* * *

><p>"I got it!" Matt declared, hastily pulling himself up from his bed's sheets and into an upright position.<p>

"Ugh… got _what_, Matt?" Mello sleepily groaned, turning a squinted gaze to the small clock resting on his nightstand. "It's one, freakin' o' clock in the morning."

Matt hurriedly hopped out of his bed and landed next to Mello's bed. Without warning, he grabbed the blond's blankets and threw them aside.

Mello responded to this action by curling up for a brief moment and groaned. "God, Matt, what are you _doing_?"

"Get up. We have to go somewhere."

One of Mello's blue eyes opened. "… Where?"

"I'm not telling, unless you follow me without any questions or sudden reactions."

"… Well, gee, Matt, as much as I'd _love_ to go on an adventure with you," Mello sarcastically began, "I would rather sleep, so… goodnight."

"No way," Matt retorted, abruptly pulling Mello up from his bed and beginning to drag him towards their room's door. "You _have_ to come with me."

Mello, now fully awake, pushed himself away from his friend. "Matt, cut it _out_!"

"_Shh!_ Do wanna wake up everybody?"

"Just tell me what we're doing, moron," the aggravated blond demanded.

"Well, you'll just have to follow me and find out," Matt told him.

Mello growled, in annoyance. "If I go with you, will you let me go back to sleep, in peace?"

"… Sure."

"Okay, then let's go…" he paused. "I swear, Matt, if we get caught by Roger, I'll kill you with my bare hands."

"Nice, now close your eyes."

Mello revealed an even more irritated gaze then before now.

"Oh, just do it," Matt insisted, "It's kinda like a surprise."

Mello rolled his eyes and then closed them. _'This better be good, otherwise you're _dead_, Matt.'_

Matt deviously grinned to himself, and took hold of one of Mello's wrists He then led him out of their room and began to walk directly across the wide hallway.

'_Wait a minute,' _Mello's blood began to run cold, _'we're not turning… we're walking straight across the hall…Oh… _no_… I'll kill him! _I'll kill him_!'_

Mello opened his eyes, watching in disbelief as Matt quietly began to open the personally forbidden door to Near's room!

"_Matt_!" Mello harshly whispered, trying to break free of Matt's grip on his wrist. "I don't know what you're planning, but I am _not _going in there!"

Matt didn't say anything in response, and quickly ushered Mello into the clean, white atmosphere known as Near's room. The brunette swiftly, but mutely, closed the door behind him, and began to pull Mello towards Near's bed.

Mello silently went along with him anyway, as it was too late to do anything about his situation now, but he still had no idea as to what Matt was planning to do in Near's room. _'Maybe the idiot is coming to his senses and wants to gang up on Near in his sleep… It's unlikely, but I can hope, can't I?' _

Once the two boys had approached Near's bed, and Matt had turned on the lamp next to the bed, Mello couldn't help but look down at the albino child, in curiosity, as he slept. _'Geez, Near almost looks human when he sleeps… That's weird.'_

"Hey, Matt," Mello whispered, "Why are we here, anyway."

Without answering, Matt began to lightly shake Near's left shoulder.

Mello's eyes widened. _'What is he doing _now_? I thought that the main objective would be to _not_ wake him up!'_

Near didn't react to Matt's light shaking at all; he was soundly asleep.

"Who knew he was such a sound sleeper?" Matt muttered to himself.

"What's this all about anyway, Matt?" Mello asked again, almost a little too loudly.

"Uh-"

"Oh, that's _right_," Mello curtly interrupted him, "You won't tell me unless we wake him up, right? Well, _here_, then."

Mello seized Near's pajama's shirt collar and yanked him up from the sheets, slightly shaking him. "Wake up, you little freak!"

"Mello!" Matt scolded, "That's not how you're supposed to deal with things!"

Near's eyes opened a bit, and then rounded out completely. He was staring right into an angry looking blond's vicious, icy eyes. "…W-What are you doing here, Mello?"

Mello rolled his eyes and inelegantly let go of the younger boy. "I don't know; Matt brought me here. He wont tell me why…" he glanced at the brunette standing beside him, "And I want to _kill_ him for it."

Matt nervously grinned at Near's blank, but somewhat puzzled expression. "Well… you see, Near…" he side-glanced at Mello for a second, "I… uh… I want you two to sort things out amongst yourselves. You know, so that there'll finally be peace between you guys."

Near said nothing, but Mello immediately replied to his 'friend's' unveiled idea. "Matt, if you _honestly_ think that I'm about to put up with this, then you're crazy!" he turned around and began to hurriedly walk towards the room's door.

Matt was already aware that Mello would do this so, in a rush, he caught up to Mello—before he had reached the door—and shoved him into Near's closet. After that, Matt rapidly closed the door and locked it from the outside.

"What the… MATT!" Mello's muffled shriek pierced through the door. "Matt, _I'm_ serious, let me out of here!"

"Sorry, but _I'm_ serious when I say that I want the two of you to become friends already," Matt replied. "Does that really sound bad to you?"

"Yes, it _does_, moron!"

"Uh, Matt?"

The addressed brunette turned around and saw Near, now standing a foot's distance behind him.

"Matt," Near repeated, "I already know, as much as you do, that Mello would rather jump out of a third story window then ever try to cooperate with me… You're just wasting your time."

Matt frowned in response. _'It may seem like that now, but I know that Mello could get along with Near if he just tried… I'll show you, Near, it isn't a waste of time.'_

"We should just let Mello out of there now," Near told Matt. "We already know this is a fruitless effort."

"The sheep's right, Matt!" Mello piped up, his voice seething with frustration and impatience. "Open the door, and let me out!"

Matt faced the closet door again and grinned to himself, working up another scheme.

"Okay," he replied, seemingly in defeat.

The brunette teenager reached forward to unlock the door. While the door was opening, he grabbed Near's arm from behind, pushed him forward—right into Mello's chest—and shut the door for a second time. Matt could hear a slight stumble from behind the door, and then saw the door bounce towards him, with a harsh 'thud' sounding against it.

"Matt, that does it, I'm gonna _KILL YOU!_"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Matt nonchalantly replied, locking the door again. "Just don't hurt Near, all right."

"Too late," Near's soft voice sounded. "He knocked me into the door."

"You little… _Ugh_!" Mello cried out, "You may be able to beat me in school, Near, but I have the upper hand when it comes to physical strength!"

'… _Maybe that wasn't such a good idea, after all,'_ Matt thought to himself. _'There's no one to control Mello's outbursts in there… Okay, I guess that means I'm going in too._'

Without letting another second go by, Matt rushed himself into the small closet and closed the door behind him, accidentally bumping into Mello in the process.

"Matt..." Mello's voice was dangerously low, "Three issues here. One, I'm trapped in a closet with two weirdoes. Two, I want to _kill_ you. Three, I-Near back _off_!"

"I apologize, Mello," Near said, while slightly stepping to the side. "There's a limited amount of space to move around in here."

"Well, _make_ room!" Mello ordered.

It was dark within the small closet, but Matt's eyes were beginning to adjust to the blackness. He could see Mello grab Near's shoulder, and callously force him to sit on the closet's floor. The brunette's eyes narrowed for a moment, and then he did the same thing to Mello.

"Matt, _what_-"

"We're all going to sit down, and talk to each other," Matt firmly told him, while sitting down against the door. "Come on, Mello, just do it. I'm not moving until, at least, some progress is made."

Mello crossed his arms in disgust. Matt was totally determined to do this, regardless of how strongly he was against it. _'God, why? Ugh... Well, it can't really be helped, now, can it? The sooner I go along with this, the sooner I can get out of this closet, and away from Near.'_

"Fine, Matt," Mello lowly spoke up, "I'll do this, but don't get your hopes up for anything to happen. I mean, Near and I are a bad mix anyway."

Near was reacting to nothing the older, blond boy said, but he was feeling, somewhat… disappointed? _'Mello, the reason we aren't even remotely close to understanding each other, is because you won't try… You are convinced that I am the most horrible person you have ever met.'_

"Well, the fact that you're here is impressive enough," Matt said.

"Matt, the only reason that I'm even here, is because _you_ won't move!" Mello shot back at him.

Matt, pretending to ignore his stubborn friend's comment, cleared his throat and let out a brief, but awkward, laugh. "Well, uh, let's get started shall we? Um… uh… Mello, why don't you ask a question first? Is there anything you want to ask Near?"

Mello snorted and opened his mouth to speak, but Matt interrupted him by saying, "If you're just going to insult him, then don't say anything."

Mello responded to this by shutting his mouth and leaned against the wall he was sitting in front of. "Fine… but come _on_, Matt! This is just a pointless waste of time. I hate Near, and he hates me. Simple as that."

Near looked across the small space between him and Mello. He couldn't believe that Mello had just said something like that… _'Mello thinks that I… _hate_ him? Why, I… I've never even revealed an emotion, such as hatred, towards him before… He should know that I don't hate him.'_

The closet had become quiet, but, soon enough, Near spoke up. "Mello… do you honestly believe that… that I hate you?"

"Yes," Mello was quick to answer, "I do… it always feels like you hate me," his words began to spill out more quickly, "I've seen the way you've looked at me before. Your expressions are always so cold, but, with me, it feels like you're… _repulsed_."

Near lightly flinched at what Mello had said. He, himself, was beginning to feel a sense of disturbance brewing within his heart because of Mello's odd and untrue assumption.

"You are more mistaken than you realize, Mello," the pale boy told him. "I do not hate you, and I never have. I don't know what gave you the impression that I did hate you; especially since you had used such a word as 'repulsed' to describe it… but, in truth, you are the one who has been doing all of the hating."

'_That's what I was thinking,'_ Matt thought.

Mello didn't say anything, but Near continued to speak. "Aside from that, I have never once been repulsed by you… It's quite the opposite."

Mello raised a brow, a bit intrigued by Near's current words. "Well… what do you think of me, then? Not that it matters, or anything…"

Near paused for a moment, contemplating the correct words to use. "I think of Mello as… brilliant and driven."

The blond's mind temporarily ceased to function. "… Really now…"

Matt smirked at the tone in Mello's voice. He had sounded so surprised.

"Yes, really," Near answered him. "And it's an honest statement, regardless of what you decide to think."

Mello was kind of taken aback now. Not necessarily because of what Near had told him, but because of what he had thought before—that Near was repulsed by him. _'I can't say that Near was lying when he had said what he thought of me, because it felt like he was honest… He _was_ honest… If that's the case, then why did I believe he hated me so much?'_

"Mello, would you like to know something else?"

Mello snapped out of his confused thoughts. "Uh… yeah, sure." _'I wonder if Near's gonna chew me out for all of the things I've said to him… Wait, why do I even _care_? I can hardly believe he's talking so much!' _

Near speculated on how Mello would react to the next thing he was about to say. Even though a short period of time had gone by, Mello wasn't exploding with anger yet… Then again, why would Mello be angry about what Near was thinking now?

"Mello… You will find this to be strange, but… I do, in fact, admire you."

Matt nodded to himself. _'I had a feeling that he did… and I have no idea why.'_

"… Admire _me_?" Mello bewilderedly shouted, "How could you say you 'admire me', when you say that _I'm_ the one that does all of the hating? Where does that admiration _come_ from?"

"Well…" Near was a bit quieter in tone, "I suppose it's because, in comparison, you are open and sociable, while I am closed off. I don't choose to be that way; I just am, and have always had the difficulty of not being able to express myself well."

"So you're… jealous of me?" Mello asked, a little freaked out from the supposedly emotionless albino's statement. _'His voice and face are always so placid, but I guess he really does have feelings after all…' _

"No, not exactly," Near answered. "The way I am is fine… but it's lonely too…" he looked away from Mello's eyes and tightened the grip around his knees, feeling more uncomfortable then he had before. Near was surprised at how much of his inner mind he was sharing, but, at the same time, it wasn't so surprising after all. _'I suppose it's because Mello is actually trying to listen for once. This setup, Matt created, is awkward, but it seems to be working.'_

Matt looked over at Mello, and, to his shock, the blond's eyes had softened… almost as if he were… sympathizing with Near? _'My God… That's scary awesome! Man, I should be given a Noble Peace Prize for what I've done here tonight! Wow… I wonder where this conversation will go next.'_

* * *

><p>"So, that's why you like chocolate so much?"<p>

"Yep, that's the truth, Near."

"... I never would have thought that was why... Also, when do you think Matt's going to wake up? He's been out for awhile now."

Mello shrugged. "I don't know… It's weird, we could've just moved him at any time and gotten out, but, instead, it seems we've talked all night."

"That's right," Near said, his voice revealed a slight smile, "we have... Perhaps we should wake him now?"

"Yep."

Mello leaned over and smacked the brunette's head, awaking him with a jolt.

"Nuh, wa?" Matt mumbled, looking to the left then right. "Hey… I don't know how long I've been asleep, but you guys are still here… Which means," he was fully awake now and grinned, "I'm a _genius_! I got two enemies to be friends, right? _Ha_!"

Mello and Near glanced at one another in mild amusement. Mello, then, shoved Matt out of the door's way, and reached up for the doorknob. When he opened the door, the sun's light was shining throughout Near's room. They really _had_ been talking all night.

Mello stood up and stepped out of the closet, stretching both arms over his head. He glanced over towards the small, round clock on Near's wall. It revealed that the time was 9:10 a.m. "Wow, I still can't believe we talked all night, Near."

Near yawned for a second, and then proceeded to stand up and walk out of the closet too. "Yes… and I never would have thought we could have hit it off so quickly."

Matt suddenly popped up behind the both of them and threw a single arm around each of their shoulders. "Yep, and you have _me_ to thank for that," he frowned for a moment and then smiled again, "I just wish I could have heard all of your conversations."

"Uh, huh, _right_, Matt," Mello cynically stated.

"Oh, come on, Mels!" Matt retorted. "You guys never would've become friends if I hadn't done this! You both came out of the closet understanding each other!"

Mello and Near tensed and became wide eyed at the brunette's choice of words.

"What's that supposed to mean, _Matt_?" Mello snapped questioningly.

Matt raised a brow in misunderstanding. "What're you…" he thought back for a moment, "_O-Oh_… I get it…" he then began to laugh hysterically, letting go of the other two boys and clutched his stomach.

Mello shook his head. "Idiot."

Near just stared at Matt and shrugged off the weird statement.

All of a sudden, Near's room door began to open. Mello and Near turned around, and saw a scrawny, green eyed, sandy, blond haired boy standing at the door. The boy looked at a still laughing Matt strangely, then seemed to become shocked when he looked at Mello.

"Uh… why are you here, Mello?" the boy asked. "You're not trying to hurt Near, are you?"

Mello scoffed for a second and crossed his arms. "No, I'm not, Gil. Why I'm here is none of your business."

Matt was beginning to settle his laughing fit and just now noticed the new addition to the room. _'Huh, what's Gil doing here?'_

"O-Okay," Gil replied nervously. "It doesn't matter anyway; it just saves me the trouble of finding the both of you."

"What is it that you need?" Near asked him.

"Roger wants to see you and Mello," Gil answered. "I don't know what it's about, but he seemed depressed… The way he spoke gave me a bad feeling."

Near and Mello looked at each other and then at Matt. The brunette's eyes revealed uneasiness.

The two turned back around to face Gil again.

"Thank you for telling us," Near told him, "Mello and I will go and see what's going on now."

Gil nodded once and then left the room.

"Let's go, Near" Mello said. "I want to see what's bugging Roger."

"All right."

"Matt," Mello addressed his other friend, "go and wait for us at the dogwood tree around the back of the orphanage. It shouldn't take too long for Roger to tell us what's wrong."

* * *

><p>"L is… <em>dead<em>?"

"Yes, Matt," Mello sadly and angrily responded. "Kira got him _and_ Watari."

Mello and Near had not hesitated to tell Matt, after meeting with Roger, what had happened. There was no point in keeping it from him, since they were fully involved now.

"D-Dead…" Matt quietly repeated to himself. _'How could someone like L… die?'_

Near narrowed his eyes and quietly knelt to the ground, beside the isolated dogwood tree. He was outwardly calm about this horrible situation, but he knew the importance and sacrifice of what had to be done next.

"What… What'll happen now?" Matt asked, his mind still not hanging onto the fact that the greatest detective in the world had been killed.

"Well, you know what this orphanage's main purpose is," Mello said, situating himself on the ground. "The best of the best will become the next L, if something is to happen to the original."

"S-So that means… Near will…" Matt suddenly felt sick to his stomach. _'If Near becomes L, then… Kira could get him too!'_

"Not just me," Near spoke up, "but Mello and I, together, will become the next L… That's what Roger wanted to tell us."

Matt shook his head in disorientation. "No… No way…" a teardrop of fear suddenly escaped from his eye duct, "_No_… You'll both be killed for sure!"

"Matt-"

"_Mello_!" the distraught brunette shouted. "You and Near are going to be chasing the world's most wanted criminal!"

"Yeah, but we can do it!" Mello raised his voice a little, hoping to cease Matt's uproar. "I know you're worried, but there's no other option... We _can_ do it."

"Yes," Near said, agreeing with the blond. He was slightly looking up, watching the autumn breeze blow the dogwood tree's leaves around and off of the thin branches. He then made eye contact with Matt. "Mello and I will catch Kira… I have no doubt that we can."

Matt sat in silence for a moment and then nodded. "R-Right… Forgive me, I'm just-"

"I know, you're worried," Mello said for the second time. "It's an unexpected ordeal… It's a good thing you didn't see my reaction when Roger told us about L."

Matt unevenly and deeply breathed in and out. "What are you guys gonna do now?"

"Well…" Near began to answer, "I think that, first of all, forming an organization to stop Kira would be a logical alternative… and I think Matt should become its first member."

Matt's eyes widened. "_M-Me_?"

Mello nodded to himself. "Yeah, I agree, Near."

"Wait, why me?" Matt questioned, pointing to himself.

"That way," a brief smile graced Near's features, "we won't be separated. We can work together, and catch Kira."

Mello nodded again, while Matt sat there, staring at the younger, white haired boy.

"Well… Well, I say…" Matt's demeanor became bolder, "We'll do it! We'll catch Kira, and bring him to justice!"

"We'll do it for L and Watari!" Mello confidently added. _'Watch out, Kira, you'll pay _dearly_ for what you've done.'_

Near nodded once. "I was hoping that you would agree." He then, to Matt and Mello's surprise, grabbed each of the boy's hands. "We will do this… together."

Matt and Mello looked at each other and then back at Near.

"Yeah… together," Mello said, tightening his hand around Near's hand.

Matt smiled with confidence. _'This never would have happened… if I hadn't locked them in a closet… I don't know what will happen over the next few years, but we'll beat Kira… as a team.'_

* * *

><p><strong>I don't know if anyone could have expected the kind of ending I wrote for this story. I hope that everyone liked this and found it to be realistic enough. As I had said, I do try my very best.<strong>

**9shadowcat9, once again, thank you for your suggestion. I hope you were not disappointed with this piece.**

**For the third story, I hope to see more good suggestions. I want to say, real quick, that just because I did not pick your suggestion, that does not mean that I thought your idea was terrible. Absolutely not; I enjoy seeing and reading about creativity coming from other people's minds... It just all depends on the way my mind will wrap around a subject given.**

**Thank you all for reading, and I hope I will see good things written about this story.**


	4. Protector

**Thank you all for the kind comments on my last short story. I had hoped it would turn out well, and it appears that it did, according to what everyone had said.**

**Stormygio, you were the only one that had contributed an idea, and so your idea was the one I chose. Even so, I still really liked the idea of Light and Sayu as children, and I was immediately thrown into various thoughts for a story. This story is more different than what you are expecting, I'm sure, but I believe that it turned out to be good. I had forgotten that you had written that the two could be portrayed during a holiday... I am sorry for forgetting that (I wish that I had remembered), but I'm sure you will still like the idea that I have come up with. **

**I hope everyone else enjoys this next one. I wrote this out to when Light was ten-years-old, Sayu was seven-years-old, and the setting is the first day of school. Well, first day for Sayu, but, for Light, it is the end of another break.**

**I really do hope that this story isn't too under done.**

**Stormygio, this short story was written for you, and I hope that you will approve of it.**

* * *

><p><strong>Story 3<strong>

**Protector**

* * *

><p>"But, Mom, you promised to take me to my first day of school!"<p>

"I know, Sayu," Sachiko, Mrs. Yagami, told her youngest child, "but your father really needs me to drop something off to him."

The little girl cutely pouted her lower lip, in an attempt to change her mother's mind. "But… But it'll be scary."

Mrs. Yagami smiled sweetly and pat the top of her daughter's head. "Scary? No it won't, you silly, little thing! Light knows the way to school; he will lead you there safely and encourage you all the way to class," she turned around to see her son standing behind them, "Won't you, dear?"

"I sure will, Mom," Light replied, nodding his head. "You can count on me!"

"That's right," Mrs. Yagami said, turning back to Sayu. "You can trust your brother. Now, the two of you need to get going. School starts in thirty minutes!"

"Okay, Mom," Light said, quickly walking towards the door and grabbing his sister's hand, "We're going. Love you!"

"Love you, Mom!" Sayu repeated, slightly stumbling after her brother.

"I love you both too!" their mother called after them. "Good luck!"

* * *

><p>"Light, how much further till we get to school?" Sayu asked her brother.<p>

"Oh, we're almost there," he answered. "It's just two more blocks away. I'll drop you off at your classroom, and come back at the end of the day. Who knows, you might even see me during your break time."

"Yay!" the little girl cheered, taking a quick moment to hug her brother around his waist. "I can always count on big brother!"

Light briefly giggled, pat her head, and the two continued to walk. As they turned the current block's corner, Light could see three, young, but rough looking teenagers a short distance away. Two of them were leaning against the stone wall that was built beside the sidewalk, while the other stood off to the side.

'_Those guys… I saw them bully other kids, in their grade, last semester!'_ he thought, as he and Sayu continued to walk forward. _'Sayu and I are just kids… They wouldn't try to hurt or steal from us, right?'_

The two siblings were just about to pass the intimidating boys, but, all of a sudden, the tallest of the group bent down and put his hand on Light's shoulder.

Light tensed at the older boy's touch. It wasn't harsh, but it wasn't friendly either… It led him to believe that this boy had done more wrong than just bully people in his life.

"Hey, kid," the tall boy began, "give us whatever goods ya have one ya and we'll let you and the girl pass safely."

Sayu began to tremble and clutched onto her brother more tightly.

Light rotated his head to look up at the towering boy. His hair and eyes were both black, while his skin was beige, but his face… His features were cruel, a wide smirk present upon his lips.

Light silently and nervously swallowed at the sight of him, but he was not going to give into the demands of this boy through fear. He was a Yagami; he couldn't back down. _'Maybe I can try to reason with him…'_

"Do you really think that's a good thing to do?" Light innocently asked the older boy. "It's not right to take things from people."

"Doesn't matter to me," his hand lightly began to tighten on Light's shoulder. "I just take whatever I can, whenever I can. Now stop fooling around! Give whatever you have to me, if you and the girl don't wanna get hurt!"

Sayu started to shake now. This guy was just so frightening, and he was threatening to hurt them!

"Well… then I guess…" Light acted like he was about to reach into his backpack, but quickly slipped it off of his shoulder—into his free hand—and swiftly hit the boy's knees with it.

The boy gasped in surprise and lost his footing. It was a perfect opportunity to run now!

"Run, Sayu, run!" Light yelled, beginning to sprint away from the boys with Sayu and his backpack in tow. _'There's no _way_ I'll let them hurt Sayu! No way!'_

"Ugh, that _little_… Don't just stand there guys!" the tallest boy exclaimed. "Let's go after um'!"

"Shouldn't we just let them go, Ryuu?" the shortest boy spoke up. "I mean, there's no point in causing a scene-"

"Shut _up_!" Ryuu harshly grunted, cutting him off. "Nobody gets away with messing with me; not even stupid little runts like him!"

* * *

><p>Light and Sayu had ducked into an alleyway and hid behind a pile of cardboard boxes to hide from the boys, hoping that they wouldn't be seen. The idea seemed to work, since that boy and his gang had passed right by the alley. They had stopped to briefly peek down the alley, but had continued on soon enough.<p>

"L-Light… a-are they gone?" Sayu whimpered.

"Yeah, they are," Light answered, peeking out from around the boxes. "I don't see or hear them at all."

He turned to look at his sister, and saw that she was beginning to cry.

Hey, hey," Light coaxed, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, "it's okay, they're gone now, Sayu. There's nothing to worry about anymore."

"Yeah, but," she sobbed, "I was so scared. They were so scary!"

"I know," Light said, still gently hugging her, "I know… but, hey, you knew I wasn't going to let anything happen to you, right?"

"Yeah…"

"Then," he separated the embrace, "you should know I'll always do that. You are very important to me," he smiled, "Now, come on, we only have ten minutes to get to school. Let's go!"

Sayu wiped away her tears and smiled along with her brother. "Okay!"

* * *

><p>"Have a good day, Sayu," Light told her as he walked away from her classroom's door. He had gotten her to class on time.<p>

His sister waved a good bye to him, and walked inside the room.

Light turned back around and walked down the east side hallway. _'Okay, my first class begins in five minutes. I just have to go through those doors,' _which were ahead of him, _'and cross over to the next building; it won't take long at all.'_

However, as soon as Light had walked through the outside doors, trouble was there to greet him. That tall boy, along with his fellow gang of two, happened to be passing by.

"Well… look who it is, guys," the tall boy sneered, "It's our little pal from earlier."

Light immediately turned around to go back, but was grabbed by the collar of his shirt and forced up against the building's wall. Light would have screamed for help, but there didn't seem to be anyone else around… Would anybody have even heard him anyway?

"P-Please," Light stammered, "I don't want any trouble."

"Of course you don't," the tall boy said, tightening his grip on Light's shirt collar. "But you sure caused me some trouble earlier."

"You were the one causing me trouble first!" Light snapped. This reaction, unfortunately, earned him to get the back of his head smacked into the brick wall he was up against. Light did his best to ignore the throbbing pain penetrating from the back of his skull, but he couldn't help but reveal a slight wince of pain. He had hoped he wouldn't show any weakness against these guys, despite his young age.

"Aw, did that hurt?" the tall boy mocked him. "I'm sorry, but you're about to feel more than _that_."

"Uh, wait, Ryuu," the shortest boy pleaded with him for the second time that morning. "Come on, he's just a kid, let him go."

'_Ryuu…'_ Light thought to himself_,_ _'I may have to remember his name, if this turns out badly for me.'_

"Back off, Ken!" Ryuu ordered him.

"He's right, Ryuu," the other boy told him. "I think you should just let him go."

"What _is_ this," Ryuu grumbled to himself, turning around to look at his friends. "You guys are acting really weird today."

"No, it's just that this is neither the time, nor place for this," the unidentified boy replied.

"Honestly," Ken began, "I can understand some of the things you do, but you take things too far sometimes."

"How about this, you guys leave and I'll take care of this kid in whatever way I see fit!" Ryuu irritably growled at them. "You guys are bigger pushovers than I thought."

'_A conflict,'_ Light wondered_, 'This is either really good or really bad, depending on how violent this could get.'_

"N-No way, not this time!" Ken spoke up. "I don't want to see more people get hurt because of you!"

"That's why I said to _leave_," Ryuu sarcastically retorted.

Ken and the other boy stood silently for a moment, looked at each other and sighed simultaneously. They, then, snatched Ryuu back—by his arms—allowing Light to get away.

"Run, kid!" Ken told him, "Just go to class!"

"You _morons_!" Ryuu shouted. "Let me go, or you'll regret it!"

Light nodded to what Ken had said and ran for his assigned building. When he ran into the building, he took some time to catch his breath before walking towards his classroom.

'_Phew, what a lucky call.' _

* * *

><p>After the school day had ended, Light went back to Sayu's classroom to pick her up. He had made sure to tell her not to mention anything about what had happened that morning to their parents. It wasn't like anything had actually gone wrong, so there was no point in telling them.<p>

Light, also, kept his second encounter with the bully from Sayu, for _her_ sake. To him, making his sister worry was worse than making his own parents worry about him.

Now that the two siblings were approaching their home's welcome mat, they could relax and enjoy an evening with Mom and, hopefully, Dad. Perhaps, he would be off duty tonight.

"Mom, we're home!" Light called throughout the house, as he and Sayu stepped inside.

"Oh, good!" their mother responded, walking from the kitchen to the front door.

"Mommy!" Sayu exclaimed, reaching her arms forward. "It was a really good day! I made all sorts of friends and the teacher was so nice and pretty!"

"That's wonderful!" Mrs. Yagami said, while reaching down to hug her daughter. "I'm so glad. Didn't I tell you it wouldn't be scary?"

"Yep," the young girl chirpily replied. "Big brother is the greatest. Do you think it'll be okay for him to walk me to school every morning?"

"Of course it will. He's a good brother," she looked up to smile at her son, and then looked down at Sayu again. "Now, go and get ready for dinner; your father is on his way home."

"Yay, Daddy's coming home!" Sayu shouted, excitedly running off into the kitchen.

"Light," Mrs. Yagami turned to her son, "I'm so proud of you. I can see how much you love and protect your sister… I want you to know that."

"Thanks, Mom," Light replied. "I'll be right back, okay?"

"Okay," she said, and went off into the kitchen with Sayu.

With that, Light went up the stairway to his room to put away his backpack and rest for a minute. He was now wondering if he would have to deal with those bullies _every _morning, now that Sayu wanted him to walk her to school every day… _'Maybe I should have just said something anyway.'_

* * *

><p>"Light, guess what?" Sayu said, as she burst into his room unexpectedly.<p>

"What?"

"Dad just came home, and said that some officers arrested three boys close to the school today!"

'_Did I just hear that correctly?'_ Light thought to himself. "Three boys… Why were they arrested?"

"He said it was because of a fight," she answered. "They broke up the fight and asked them why. One of the boys said that he was trying to stop their friend from hurting a kid. Isn't that scary?"

"Y-Yeah, sort of," Light replied. _'I didn't hear of anything, like an arrest, happening all day… I wonder when it all happened. After I left those guys… Later on in the day?' _

"Yeah, but it's all right now. If you were there, you would've beaten up all the bullies, right? Big brother saved me from bullies this morning, and I bet he could do it again!"

"Uh, yeah, I guess… Hey," Light stood up, and put his arm around Sayu's shoulder, "Let's go downstairs. I'm starting to feel hungry."

"Me too," she agreed.

The two of them started down the stairs, but Sayu just had one more thing to add…

"You'll always protect me from bad people like them, right, Light?"

Light nodded and playfully ruffled her hair. "Yeah, I sure will. You can count on me."

She smiled happily, and ran ahead of her older brother. After she was out of sight, Light sighed to himself and continued down the stairs.

_'Good thing Sayu doesn't know I was that kid… She might not think of me as a protector, if I couldn't even protect myself.'_

* * *

><p><strong>I suppose this is what I could call a 'bittersweet ending'. Even so, for Light, I think it is a sort of fitting ending. <strong>

**Were the bullies, I created, realistic enough? If so, then I'm glad. I thought this would be neat to mention - Ryuu, the name of the main bully, means 'dragon'. I found that to be somewhat appropriate. I chose Ken, for the nicer 'bully's' name because it is related back to the word 'strong' or 'healthy'... Well, he was strong enough to stand up against his friend, so I suppose it was, also, an appropriate name. As for the last 'bully', I did not give him a name... Sorry, unnamed 'bully'.**

**I hope I didn't disappoint with this short story; especially you, Stormygio. I appreciated your idea.**

**For the next short story, I will use one of my own ideas. If I decide to go with the idea that I am thinking of right now, then I can 100% guarantee that no one will have the slightest expectation of what will be written.**

**Thank you for reading.**


	5. The Game

**Thank you to those who read and reviewed my last chapter. I'm glad it was decent.**

**I appreciate the ideas given for another story, but, at the end of the last chapter, I had said that I would be writing a short story of my own this time. Still, I have already started on the next short story. The story will be based around 'ScibblesIsTheBest''s idea. I really liked it, and I already knew what I was going to do with it, once I read it. Thank you to those who also contributed an idea(just remember to read everything within these sections, otherwise you may miss something).**

**As for this story, here, the title is a dead give-away on what it could possibly be. Once you start reading it, it becomes more silly. I usually write such serious things, and I thought this would be something a little 'outside of the box'. I hope you all enjoy it!**

* * *

><p><strong>Story 4<strong>

**The Game**

* * *

><p>"All right, team," Light Yagami, basketball coach of J.T.F. Institution, was beginning to prep his team against the most top ranked team across the ocean, "we're going to pulverize S.P.K. Academy today…" he side glanced at Matsuda, "unless Matsuda screws us over."<p>

"I _told_ you, I didn't mean to almost cost the game for us last time!" the young man hastily tried to clarify. "It was an accident, really!"

Aizawa shook his head. "Matsuda, you scored for the other team."

"Well… Well, you know I don't have such a great sense of direction, Aizawa," Matsuda explained. "What's important is that Mogi wound up winning the game for us… We did great."

Ide just stared at the shaggy, black haired man. "… You do realize that you're now on the "Most Shameful Sports Players List" right?"

Matsuda gawked for a moment and then hung his head in shame. "… Yes."

"And all of these people," Ukita gestured his arm out to the people sitting in the stands, "know it."

"Whatever, that's not important right now," Light turned the topic back around. "This is the most important game of the year, and we have to defeat S.P.K. Academy at all costs!"

"Have they ever even _lost_ a game before, Light?" Matsuda asked.

"_Ahem_?" Light cleared his throat.

Matsuda thought for a second and then nodded in realization. "Oh, sorry, I mean, have they ever lost a game before, Coach Yagami?"

Light smiled inwardly at this title. "No, I don't think they have, but I know we can beat them! Have you _seen_ their coach?"

"Yes," Aizawa answered, "but, despite his appearance and age, he's impressively trained his team to the highest perfection."

Light shrugged. "Yeah, well, I know you guys can beat them!" _'And if things go badly, I already know what I'll have to do.'_

Aizawa rubbed the back of his neck and looked at each of his teammates... his very small group of teammates. _'I still wonder how people, like us, are even _on_ a professional basketball team… I'm in my thirties, for God's sake, and we only have five people on our team! Then again, so does the S.P.K.'s team… I just don't get it…'_

* * *

><p>"No way, Takada, my cheerleading uniform looks <em>way<em> better on me!"

"Don't make me laugh, Amane, I have a better body for it."

"Humph! Let's just see what Mikami thinks."

Mikami, the third cheerleader in the group, was busy marveling at Light's presence—from afar—when the girls suddenly approached him.

"So, Mikami, "Misa abruptly began, "who looks better in this uniform? Me, or this wench standing next to me?"

Takada gave her quick death glare, before turning back to Mikami.

The older man turned around and viewed each one. Both girls were clad in the same, red and white mini dress and white sneakers—the colors matching his own shirt and pants—but he honestly didn't care about Misa and Takada's petty arguments. He only cared about one thing and cast his attention back towards it… their teams' coach.

"Mikami, answer us!" Misa demanded. "What do you keep looking at over there?"

"Have you guys ever noticed how god-like Light is?" Mikami outwardly wondered. "He's so… wow."

"_What_?" they simultaneously shrieked, both of their mouths dropping.

"Mikami, that sounded… gay," Misa told him, almost beginning to feel jealous. She knew Mikami was weird, but he had never said anything _that_ open before!

"No, that's not it. I just…" his voice became revealed a vast amount of admiration, "I just want to be like _him_ someday!"

Takada and Misa both looked at one another in uncertainty. This guy was how much older than Light?

'_Shouldn't he just do his own thing?'_ Takada thought, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Sounds gay to me," a deep voice from behind sounded.

All three turned around and saw two, teenage boys standing behind them. One had shoulder length blond hair, and a fierce looking face. The other had dark, shaggy hair and, for some reason, wore goggles. They both adorned white colored, matching shirts, sweats, and sneakers.

Takada raised a brow at them. "And you two are…?"

The blond sneered at the older woman. "I'm Mihael and this is Mail. We're part of the S.P.K. Academy team."

"Uh, huh…" Mikami studied the two up and down, "If you're apart of the team, then why are you both wearing cheerleading uniforms?"

A vein seemed to appear in Mihael's forehead. "We are _not_ cheerleaders! Our team just rotates its players. You see, we're so good we aren't allowed to use all of our players."

"But _why_ are you both wearing cheerleading uniforms?" Mikami asked again, trying to agitate the blond even more.

"Look, _buddy_, don't get me started!" Mihael warned him. "We could all whip your tails any day! Right, Mail?"

"Hm, oh, what?" Mail wasn't even paying attention; he was looking at all of the people gathering in the stands.

"_You_," Mihael roughly poked the boy's chest, "are no help!"

"That's enough, Mihael," a gentle toned voice sounded now.

Mihael and Mail stepped aside to reveal a slightly shorter boy, with white hair and wide eyes, standing behind them.

"But, come on, Nate, these guys are just a bunch of annoying idiots, and you know it!" the blond retorted, addressing the boy.

"You just met them," Nate reminded him.

"… So?"

Nate shook his head. "Mihael, did you learn nothing from your anger management classes? If something or someone bothers you, what should you do?"

Mail intensely waited for an answer, alongside Nate, trying not to smile._ 'This ought to be good.'_

Mihael took a deep breath of air and let it back out, trying to calm himself. "I'm supposed to clear my mind, and turn the other cheek."

"That's right," Nate told him. "And why is it important to keep your cool around people?"

Mihael sighed, hoping that he wouldn't sound stupid. "Because the counselor said 'making friends' is important."

"And how does a friendship start, according to the counselor?" the white haired boy asked him.

Mail bit his lower lip, desperately trying not to laugh.

Mihael glanced to both sides of him, and then mumbled his answer.

"What did you say?" Nate asked the blond. "I couldn't hear you."

Mihael rolled his eyes and then blurted out, "Every friendship starts with a smile."

That was it; Mail was on the verge of losing it. He snorted and turned his head, trying with all of his might not to burst out laughing.

"_Mail_, shut up!" the blond boy growled. "Like I said, you're no help!"

Nate shook his head. _'Oh, Mihael, you're impossible.'_

"He said your name was Nate… as in Nate River?" Mikami suddenly questioned. "So you're S.P.K. Academy's coach. Funny, I thought you would be," he closely investigated the smaller boy, partially getting into his face "… taller… and older."

The young boy smirked at the man. "Life does that sometimes, huh?"

Mikami stood back to his full height and nodded warily, a bit weirded out by this kid's appearance. It just wasn't right; Nate's team is, supposedly, the best in the world and he looks like a child?

"Yeah, well," Mihael slid in between Nate and Mikami, "I thought you wouldn't be gay for your coach."

"I'm not!" Mikami shot back at him. "Light's just," his eyes glazed over with a dreamy look "… my _god_!"

Misa and Takada both stared uneasily at Mikami, while the man continued to have to have that freaky grin plastered on his face.

"… Come on, Nate," Mihael began to drag his coach away from the strange, older man, "I told you they were a bunch of annoying idiots. You too, Mail, let's get back to our area."

Mail shrugged and quietly followed the two.

'_Well, I guess Mihael is right, this time,'_ Nate thought to himself, thinking back to Mikami's behavior.

"Hey, coach, the game's about to start," Mail spoke up. "It's prep time!"

"Of course," Nate responded.

Mihael had already dragged him all the way back to their team's visitor area. The other three players—referred to as Rester, Gevanni, and Lidner—were all waiting for them there.

"Okay," Nate began, "I trust that you all know what our strategy is this time, right?"

All five players nodded.

"Good, then we should have no problems achieving another victory tonight."

"Right, then let's get out there and win another one!" Mail cheered.

* * *

><p>"So, Matsuda," Light addressed the awkward player, "don't screw up tonight, and we'll have our victory!"<p>

Matsuda nodded his head in understanding and mortification, while the rest of the team stood in silence.

"Okay," Light concluded, "I don't really have anything else to say except to get out there, and don't let me down!"

* * *

><p>"Well, everyone, the game is beginning with an unsurprising start," L. Lawliet, the World famous Sports announcer, and foster father of Nate River, Mihael Keehl, and Mail Jeevas, began over the speaker, "Nate River's team is currently ahead."<p>

"Hey, but my son's team isn't doing too badly either," Soichiro Yagami, Coach Yagami's father and chief announcer, spoke up.

Lawliet glanced at him with an 'are you kidding me' expression. "Mr. Yagami, I don't want to sound rude, but my son, Nate, seems to be a much more skilled coach than your son. Also, my two older sons, Mihael and Mail, are better players than all of the players on your son's team." _'Especially Matsuda.'_

"Lawliet!" Soichiro exclaimed. "Why I-"

"Oh, hey, look down there!" Lawliet pointed down at the basketball court below.

"_What_," he looked down as well, "did my son's team score?"

"No," Lawliet chuckled lightly. "_My_ son's team did… The score is now 5 to 0. S.P.K. Academy is in the lead! What else can be expected from such a fine team?"

The crowd roared with cheers and praises after Lawliet had finished speaking. Mr. Yagami, on the other hand, sank into his chair, hoping and praying that his son's team would overcome Nate's. _'And I hope my son's victory will be a smack in the face for Lawliet!' _

* * *

><p>So many things were going wrong for Light's team; it was downright embarrassing! Ide and Ukita had run into each other, at one point, as an attempt to steal the ball from Lidner and failed miserably. Mogi, on the other hand, proved that he was far slower than Rester—the walking giant. Mogi was a giant too, but how could Rester be moving so quickly? His bulk should have slowed him down, right?<p>

'_Ugh, this sucks!'_ Light, thought, looking over at the S.P.K.'s bench area. Coach River was watching the game, twirling a single lock of his hair in concentration, while Mihael and Mail were entertaining the crowd with impressive, athletic stunts on the sidelines. _'Even their cheerleaders are better than mine!'_

Light glanced over at his pathetic bunch of cheerleaders. He could see Mikami quickly turn around, since Light had just caught him staring at him, while Misa and Takada were arguing with each other and jumping at the same time.

Coach Yagami turned his head back around to look at Coach River once again. _'… It looks like I'll have no choice… No, what if I get caught? I'll be ruined!'_

At that moment, he could hear the crowd behind him 'boo' at something going on in the game. Light immediately looked back on the court to see Matsuda standing below their team's basket. He had the classic look of shame written all over his face.

Light stared at him, wide eyed and confused. _'What… did he-'_

"Uh, oh, another blunder for Touta Matsuda," Lawliet's voice sounded over the booming speaker. "Let's take another look at the replay."

Light looked up to the big screen, and nearly fell off of his bench at what he saw… Matsuda had scored for the other team… _AGAIN!_

"Matsuda, you _**idiot**_!" Light screamed at the poor player. "How could you do that _again_?"

"I-I'm sorry!" Matsuda loudly apologized, his feet frozen to where he stood. "I forgot which way I was supposed to go!"

Light lowered his head, not wanting to see how the other team's coach was reacting. _'That's it… I'm going to have to cheat!'_

* * *

><p>"Well, Matsuda's mistake was an embarrassing one, but Coach Yagami's team has stepped up their game," Lawliet spoke over the intercom. "The score is now 20 to 10," he turned away from the speaker, "I must say, Soichiro, your son's team is beginning to do better, though they still won't beat my son's team."<p>

"… Shut up," Soichiro calmly demanded. "The odds are not in his favor, but Light's team is good. Don't underestimate him."

"… But it's so easy to."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing, I said nothing."

* * *

><p>'<em>We're not doing badly, but our score is still low… To do better,'<em> Light looked at Gevanni out on the court_, 'I'll have to get rid of one of Nate's players. Gevanni is the most quick and agile on S.P.K.'s current team arrangement… He'll be the target.'_

He glanced at Matsuda, who was sitting on the bench with him at the moment. _'I'll use Matsuda.'_

"Hey, Matsuda," Light began, turning his head to him fully, "when you get back out there, there's something I need you to do."

Matsuda turned to his coach. "Yeah, what is it?"

"I need you to..." he lowered his voice, "to trip up Gevanni."

"_What_? But coach, that's cheating!" Matsuda responded, his voice also lowered.

"No, it really isn't," Light began, "It's just a trick to get ahead."

"I don't know, coach-"

"Just make it look like an accident," Light ordered him. "That shouldn't be too hard for you to do."

Matsuda shook his head. "No, that's just cheating, and I don't want to hurt anybody-"

"Hey," Light's voice lowered dangerously now, "if you don't, our team won't win. Do you _really_ want that kind of humiliation on our shoulders?"

Matsuda didn't answer.

"Not only that, but," Light leaned a little closer into the man's face, "if you do this… I'll let you date my little sister."

Sayu! Light's younger sister was just so cute and pretty! Matsuda had had a crush on her for some time now, but to actually have an opportunity to date her… _'I still don't like the idea of cheating, but… how can I refuse this offer?' _

* * *

><p>"You're doing great, Gevanni," Nate complimented the older, black haired man. "Keep up the excellent work."<p>

"Thanks, will do," he responded, after taking a sip of water and running back to the court. _'The score's 32 to 23 now. It doesn't look like the other team will win, but I have to keep doing my best.'_

Gevanni looked over to the left and saw Matsuda running back onto the court. _'I guess he's ready to play again? Even so, I'm not worried about this guy at all; I can easily avoid him.'_

* * *

><p>'<em>Okay… I just have to make it look like an accident,'<em> Matsuda gulped slightly, afraid of what kind of outcome this action would bring. _'No big deal… I hope.'_

The game was on again! Rester had the ball, quickly avoided Ide, and passed it to Lidner. Lidner caught it easily, sprinted past Ukita and Mogi—still dribbling the ball—and passed it to Gevanni. Now, Gevanni was running directly towards Matsuda.

Matsuda began to charge towards Gevanni, still intending to go through with what Light had told him to do. _'I just have to make it look like an accident!'_

The two were closing the gap between them quickly. Just a few more yards, and they would be right upon each other.

'_Okay,'_ Matsuda thought, preparing himself_, 'here I g-'_

All of a sudden, Aizawa appeared from behind Matsuda, stopping his younger teammate in his tracks, and sprinted towards Gevanni. Aizawa's plan was to steal the ball from Gevanni, using Matsuda as a distraction, but, as soon as he got close enough to Gevanni, he tripped and crashed right into the other player! Both he, and Gevanni, roughly tumbled to the ground. Aizawa turned and proceeded to fall on his back, while Gevanni's right leg twisted out of place as he fell on his side. The crowd, on both sides, burst into commotion as they witnessed Gevanni and Aizawa harshly crash to the floor.

"Gevanni!" Mihael and Mail yelled, while they and Nate ran over to assist him.

"Are you all right, Gevanni?" Nate asked him. "That looked like a nasty fall."

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine," Gevanni grunted, feeling the pain in his right ankle shooting through his entire nervous system. "But I don't think I can play anymore…"

"Ugh, I'm sorry," Aizawa mumbled from where he lay. He too was in pain. "It was an accident, I assure you."

"Its fine," Nate told the man. "I know it wasn't done on purpose. You've played a fair game."

"Aizawa, are you all right?" Light and Matsuda asked, running up to the fallen player.

"Ah, no… I don't think so," Aizawa answered, not moving from his spot. "I think I heard my spine crack, when I hit the floor."

Light nodded and quickly took care of arrangements for Aizawa to be removed off of the court.

"Well, it looks like a there's a loss for both teams here," Lawliet's voice sounded again. "How will this affect both teams?" _'It won't affect my son's team, that's for sure. I already know what will happen next.'_

Light grinded his teeth in silence. _'Ugh, Aizawa… I _knew_ you were too old for this!'_

"So… Light?"

"Yeah, what is it, Matsuda?" Light asked, his tone tiresome.

"Even though I didn't get to accomplish what you wanted me too… can I still date your sister?"

Light turned his head to Matsuda, glaring at him. "No, you _can't_!"

* * *

><p>"You played a good game, Gevanni," Near told the man, as he and Mail helped the man stand up.<p>

"T-Thanks," Gevanni replied, his ankle still throbbing with pain.

Mail nodded. "I guess this means-"

"I'm in," Mihael declared, ripping off his white sweats and shirt and revealing an S.P.K. basketball uniform.

The crowd cheered in anticipation, knowing that this game was about to get intense. Anyone who had seen Mihael play before knew just how much agility and strength he could illustrate.

"… Yep, you're up, Mihael," Nate told him. "Win this quickly, all right?"

Mihael nodded, a wide grin spreading across his face. "No problem, bro, I got this!"

* * *

><p><strong>"Come and join me, can't avoid me, cause' you know the game is on! The game is on!" ~ District 78, "Game On"<strong>

* * *

><p>"Mr. Yagami," Lawliet leaned towards his fellow announcer, "have you ever seen Mihael play before?"<p>

"No, why?" the older man questioned.

Lawliet crouched back into his chair. "Oh… no reason in particular… Your son's team just doesn't stand a chance, if he's playing."

"_Ugh_," Soichiro groaned, "Would you just stop it with your cocky remarks already? I get it; your son's team is terrific, outstanding, perfect, blah, blah, _blah_! Now _shut up_!"

"… My, my, Mr. Yagami… Did you not sleep well? You seem angry."

Soichiro buried his face in the palms of his hands, sighing deeply. "Yes, Lawliet, I didn't sleep well… Now leave me alone."

* * *

><p>'<em>This is so not good,'<em> Light thought to himself, biting his lower lip. _'I've seen videos of Mihael's game play, and he's practically a machine! I don't think he's ever slipped up once… I thought I stood a chance today, if he wasn't playing, but thanks to Aizawa…' _

"There's only a short remainder of the game left," Lawliet's voice rang out, "Can J.T.F. pull an amazing victory, or will S.P.K. crush them?"

Light frowned at the comment. _'Ugh… I've always hated that Lawliet guy. Over confident, little-'_

"Wow, look at him go, Soichiro! Mihael's acting like a one man army out there!"

Light immediately turned his focus back towards the court. It was insane; he had just caught Mihael performing an impressive 'slam dunk'! _'He's really not _that_ tall; how'd he do that?'_

"Yeah, go, bro, _go_!" Mail shouted from the sidelines. He, currently, had his younger brother wrapped up in his arms—raising him slightly off of the floor—as he jumped up and down in excitement. "Did you see that, Nate? I've never seen Mels get _that_ much air before!"

"… Mail, you're invading my personal space."

Mail looked down at Nate for a moment, grinned, and hugged him more tightly. "Aw, I love you too, bro! When you say 'get away', you really mean 'I love you'!"

Light observed the two brothers from afar, his upper lip curving into a grimace. _'Their family makes no sense.'_

Light looked back to the court again. Mihael was currently being blocked by Mogi and seemed to be having a slight difficulty getting around him.

Light's eyes began to brighten. _'Hey, maybe I still have a shot-'_

Mihael suddenly leaped into the air, skillfully passing the ball to Rester. Rester then proceeded to dunk the ball into J.T.F.'s basket.

'… _Never mind, we're screwed.' _

* * *

><p>"Final game score, 50 to 23. S.P.K Academy <em>wins<em>!" Lawliet proclaimed over the speaker. "Though, it truly isn't a surprise, by any means."

While the S.P.K. players began to celebrate with the prize they had received, Light Yagami huddled on his area's bench—sinking farther and farther into a self-absorbed depression.

"Uh, coach-"

"Matsuda, now's not really the time to bug him," Ide told him, leading him away from their distraught coach.

"Does that mean we can't see him either," Misa asked.

"Yes, now all of you come with me," Ide told them. "Don't stare at him, Mikami, just come with us."

Mikami pouted for a second and then followed the rest of his group.

'_I just wanted to win this one game… just this _one_ game…'_ Light lowered his face even farther down. _'Why couldn't I have been blessed with a team like Nate's? It just isn't fair… I hate my life.'_

"Excuse me, Coach Yagami?"

Light looked up and locked eyes with Nate River, coach of the famous S.P.K. Academy basketball team.

"Yeah, what do _you_ want?" Light snapped.

Nate smirked slightly at this immature behavior. He knew Light had revealed to react this way before, so he thought he would toy around with him for a bit. "You lost the game."

"... Thanks for pointing that out, 'Captain Obvious'," Light retorted, tightly curling his fists. "Just get lost, would ya?"

"Hey, no need to be in a bad mood cause' you lost," Mihael said, walking up behind Nate, trophy in hand. "That isn't the 'sportsmanship' way to handle things. Besides, it isn't our fault that you don't know how to train your team properly."

Light glared at the blond. "Why don't you just get lost yourself, you freaky, transvestite looking thing?"

'_Great, now his anger is going to boil over again,'_ Nate thought, slightly turning his head around to glance at his older brother.

Mihael was practically red with anger now. His icy blue eyes seemed to burn with an extreme flame, and his hands shook. "I'm… gonna… _KILL YOU_!" He raised the golden trophy above his head, with both hands, preparing to smack it down upon Light's own head, when Mail suddenly grabbed him around the waist and dragged him back a few feet.

"Come on, Mihael, count to ten, and take a deep breath," Mail coaxed, as he tried to restrain his brother. "Become more mellow."

"Really, Mihael, this isn't healthy for your blood pressure," Nate told him, also trying to get the blond to calm down. He then carefully removed the trophy from his brother's tightly clenched fists, hoping to prevent an accident.

"I will _not_!" Mihael screeched at the both of them. "I'm going to give this… this _moron_ the beating of a lifetime!"

"Oh, I'm shaking in my sneakers," Light sarcastically stated, standing up from his seat on the bench. "You play well, I'll give you that, but I bet you punch like a girl—considering the fact that you look like one."

Nate shook his head. "Coach Yagami, you really shouldn't hav-"

"Oh, that does IT! Mail, let me _go_!" Mihael was now kicking and screaming at this point.

"Come on, son, don't allow his words to make you angry," Lawliet said coolly, suddenly approaching the four with Soichiro following closely behind. "Be the bigger man."

Mihael sighed deeply and relaxed, nodding to himself. "… Okay… I'm fine now."

Mail sighed and let his brother go. _'Thank God.'_

"Good, now here," Lawliet reached into his pocket and pulled out a foil-wrapped chocolate bar, "eat this; you deserve it."

Mihael smiled broadly, accepted the chocolate bar, and walked away, dragging his younger brothers with him. "See ya later, Coach Yagami."

Mail and Nate looked at each other, shrugged, and continued to walk along with Mihael.

'_Just a few words and a chocolate bar can calm that guy down?'_ Light thought, watching the trio leave. _'That's… kind of weird… They're _all_ weird!'_

"Coach Yagami," Lawliet addressed the young man before turning around to join his sons, "It was a good game today. Please, have a good rest of the evening."

As the hunched over, black haired man left, Soichiro walked up to his son. His expression revealed that he was both exhausted and annoyed.

"Dad, are you okay?" Light asked him.

"Yeah… I just hate Lawliet _so_ much," his voice seemed to break into a brief sob.

"… I hate his sons," Light's voice sounded like it was cracking too.

"T-That makes two of us."

Father and son looked at one another and then embraced each other, openly weeping in front of Light's team.

"… You know what?" Ide all of a sudden spoke up, addressing no one in particular.

"What?" Matsuda asked.

"I quit… I just do," Ide announced, walking away. "I'm going to see Aizawa."

"Yeah… We're just going to leave now too," said Ukita, as he and Mogi both followed Ide.

Matsuda watched his teammates leave, and then looked back at the sobbing father and son. _'… I wonder if there are any openings on Nate River's team…'_

* * *

><p><strong>Well, how did I do with this? I hope I did well. I must say, this sure was a <em>lot<em> of fun to write!**

**Thank you all for reading this. I appreciate it, and, like I had said before, 'ScribblesIsTheBest''s idea will be the next story topic I use. I hope everyone will like what else I have in store.**


	6. Aftermath

**I finally have my fifth story! I'll say, September was an incredibly stressful and full month for my family... I could have lost a very dear and important family member to an intense, and quickly spreading, Staph infection. That family member is my young, eight-year-old cousin. Through a truly amazing miracle (Thank God), she survived. After everything settled down, I could sit and write again... My cousin's survival story has filled me with a greater appreciation for her, and inspiration. I will not forget it. **

**This short story's basis was inspired from 'Kezone', once known as 'ScribblesIsTheBest'. This person suggested that I write out something that started out with Matt actually surviving his horrible death, in the actual series, and to continue from there. Well, I definitely did, and hope everyone likes what I have done... I must admit, I created it to be rather personal. My raw, deeper emotions were entirely brought out when I wrote this. **

**Kezone, I especially hope you like what I did with your idea (It was a very good idea to work with). This is for you.**

* * *

><p><strong>Story 5<strong>

**Aftermath**

* * *

><p>'<em>How could this have happened? … All of it.'<em>

Mail Jeevas, known only to the world as Matt, had recently been placed inside of a random prison cell in Japan. What he didn't understand was that the same group of bodyguards, who had previously tried to gun him down—over a month ago—had made sure he was restored back to health before putting him there.

'_I shouldn't have even survived at all. Thankfully, the bullet-proof vest I wore kept me from dying… but that doesn't explain why those guys let me live anyway,_' he thought, as he sat alone in his empty, dark cell. _'I woke up in a hospital bed, but I was immediately informed that I would be taken to prison after I had healed up enough… They only gave me one reason why,' _he lowered his head in sorrow_, '… I was associated with 'the other one', according to those bodyguards of Takada's. No doubt, they were referring to Mello.'_

Matt knew ahead of time, before he and Mello were to carry out their mission of abducting Takada, that Mello had seemed troubled… as if something horrible was haunting him. Matt wasn't sure why, at the time, but understood perfectly after asking the scarred blond himself. _'Mels knew or felt that he was going to die. When those cops revealed how he had died, to me… It's just sickening. Of course they would be angry about it, in Takada's case, but they were laughing about it when it came to the discussion of Mello's death. Tch, some _justice_ they claim to be_, 'he clenched his fists, trying to rid his mind of the cruel comments that were said. _'I don't know what he was fully thinking back then, but I don't think Mello was stupid for it… I just can't believe he's really gone.'_

So, what now? Were those guards and police officers just going to let him live out the rest of his days in a prison cell, or were they going to sentence him to the death penalty? _'It doesn't even matter anymore… I lost my best friend, and there's no one around who would allow a 'Kira disapprover' and 'criminal', like me, to walk freely…'_ Matt then felt his right shoulder throb in discomfort. The bullets, that did pierce him, still gave him some trouble, but it was tolerable. Even so, Matt didn't care anymore. _'At this rate, I would rather die than sit here… At least there would be peace in my own death.'_

He thought back to his longtime friendship with Mello… and began to feel pressure build behind his eyes. Matt tried to force it back, but a few of the warm tears still broke loose. _'Why am I even fighting these tears away? No one can see me, and it's normal to mourn a lost friend… I know Mello went out doing what was right. I don't know anything about what Kira's doing now, but he'll get caught one day… Mello's sacrifice shouldn't be in vain.'_

The door, outside of Matt's cell suddenly opened, allowing some light into the dark room. At the entrance, stood one of the prison's security guards.

"Hey, you, someone's come to pay for your release."

'_M-My _release_?'_ Matt hopped off of his seat and briskly walked to the cell's bars. "Who is it?"

"I don't know, someone who just claims to know you," the guard told him, his accented voice revealing his apparent repugnance for the brunette. "Aren't _you_ lucky… Well, anyways, he's here with me. He wants to see you first."

"Uh, o-okay, then." _'I can't believe it… I wonder who it is.'_

The security guard stepped away from the room's entrance, and, in his place, stood a young boy.

Matt's eyes widened. Even in the dim light, he automatically recognized the boy's most noticeable feature. _'White hair… Is it really… It's _Near_!' _

"I-It's _you_!" Matt gasped, as Near approached the bars.

Near nodded once, his eyes vacant… seemingly vacant. Somehow, Matt thought he had caught a glimmer of relief within them. "Yes, Matt… Have you been treated well?"

Matt nodded warily, not really knowing what to say. He hadn't seen Near in years! All he could do was stare at him. _'He hasn't changed at all! His voice, his appearance… Well, I mean, he's taller then he was before, but other than that… Mello and I were working with him before, but I never got to see his face.' _

"Is something wrong, Matt," Near asked him. "You look surprised."

"Well… _yeah_, I am," Matt answered, still shocked that the young genius was standing before him. "How did you find me?"

"I'll explain that, and more, to you, after we're away from here," Near answered, turning around to get the security guard's attention. "Release him immediately."

* * *

><p>After Near and Matt had walked out of the front doors of the prison, a car was waiting for them out front. An elderly man was standing beside it.<p>

"_Roger_?" Matt excitedly addressed the man, running towards him. "Roger, why are you here?"

The old man smiled at the young brunette, tears beginning to form in his eyes. "I'll let Near explain everything to you, but, right now, I'm glad to know that you are alive and well!"

'_He's really happy to see me…'_ Matt smiled back. "Yeah… me too."

Roger bowed slightly and walked around to the driver's door, proceeding to get into the vehicle.

"Here, get in," Near told Matt, as he opened the car's back passenger seat for him. "I'll tell you everything, once we get back to headquarters."

Matt nodded and slid into the vehicle, Near getting in after him and shutting the door.

'_I still find this hard to believe,'_ Matt thought, side glancing at the younger boy sitting close to him. _'Near and Roger… They came for me… I still wonder though, how was Near able to find me? How did he know I was still alive?_' he turned his gaze away from Near, to look out of the car's side window now_, 'Well, like he said, I'll know everything when we get to his headquarters.'_

* * *

><p>"It's… empty," Matt stated aloud. It had not been long since he, Near, and Roger had arrived at headquarters, but, once Matt had stepped through the main room's sliding doors, he had expected to see people still working to track Kira down.<p>

Near walked a short distance, into the room, before knelling into his usual position on the carpeted floor. "The reason why is because Kira was caught, Matt. My remaining S.P.K. members all returned to their original jobs after the matter."

Matt immediately felt shock to hearing that. "… W-Whoa, whoa,_ what_... Kira was… You _got_ him? No one told me…" He hastily walked over to Near, standing behind him. "When? _How_?"

Roger was standing at the room's entrance, but stepped out and left, deciding that he should allow the two boys to speak with one another about everything.

"When did it happen, Near?" Matt asked again, eager to know how he had captured the world's most wanted killer. He was certainly feeling satisfied that Kira had finally gotten what was coming to him… and that L, Watari, and his friend, Mello, were all avenged.

Near breathed a small, quiet sigh, and pat a spot on the floor next to him—a gesture for Matt to sit there. He made no eye contact with the brunette, as Matt sat beside the white haired boy.

"To answer your first question, 'when', my team and I were able to catch Kira on the twenty-eighth of January."

Matt nodded once. _'Okay, I was 'gunned down' on the twenty-sixth of that month… Two days afterwards.'_

"To answer 'how'…" Near continued, hesitating briefly, "Well, in short, it was all thanks to Mello."

Matt didn't really know what to say, he just stared at Near—wanting for him to continue. _'So Mello _didn't_ die in vain… Is that what Near's saying? Then again, I shouldn't be surprised. Now that I think about it, Mello _did_ say…'_

"It was because of Mello that we were able to catch Kira," Near stated. "I don't know how much you know about everything that had happened, Matt," Near said, turning his face to him, "but what Mello, and you, did for the SPK allowed for our victory to happen."

Matt slid in front of Near, so that he could look more directly at the younger boy. "I… Well, I knew about the notebooks, I knew we were both working with you, and I knew our final objective was to abduct Takada… I just didn't expect for me to get shot at, or that Mello would get himself killed."

The brunette noticed a slight tense movement of Near's hand—which was resting on top of his left knee—after he had said the word 'killed'. _'Huh…?'_

"I'm sure you want to know why you're even here, right, Matt?"

The brunette blinked harshly, retracting himself from the curiosity of Near's sudden movement, to what he was asking now. Matt nodded, honestly wanting to know.

"I, and two of my organization members, was here when we saw that you were gunned down on the news," Near began. "I was, truthfully, upset to see that the Japanese police had done something so unjust towards you."

Matt narrowed his eyes a bit, thinking back to how shocked _he_ was that those cops had just shot him out of the blue. When he had felt the first bullet graze his arm, his mind completely blanked. Matt remembered thinking, before falling into unconsciousness, that the bullet proof vest would save him… unless he didn't wake up in time.

"In a hasty decision, on my part, I immediately had one of my members contact the chief of the particular group that had gone after you," Near told him, retelling that afternoon's events. "I felt that you weren't dead yet, and wanted to secure your safety before anything else happened."

Matt's breathing tightened a little. _'Near did that… for me? I never even knew him that well, at Wammy's, but he still… I didn't think Near would do that sort of thing.' _

"Of course I would, Matt," Near said aloud, answering the brunette's thoughts.

Matt jumped back slightly. "H-how did you…?"

"Know what you were thinking?" Near finished for him. "I understood what you were thinking, because I can see the emotions in your eyes… Anyway, after convincing that chief to have your pulse and vitals checked, you were, as I had expected, still alive. I, then, had you placed in the nearest hospital. I was informed that, if I truly wanted 'this immoral criminal' to be released, I would have to pay for him myself… I didn't hesitate to do so."

"… Wow," Matt said, almost tonelessly. "The reason I'm alive is because you acted to save me…" he shook his head a little, ruffling his dark, brown hair uneasily. "I just… Thanks, Near," he said graciously.

Near nodded once, barely making eye contact with Matt. "It was no problem."

Matt noticed Near's, somewhat, off behavior again. The younger boy was still holding his calm personality, but his eyes seemed to be carrying a strange sadness. When he had said that he hadn't expected for Mello to get himself killed, before, Near reacted a bit differently than he normally would have… _'Even back in the innocent days of Wammy's House, I had never seen Near reveal much of his inner thoughts. He could always express himself through the work he accomplished, but I never really saw him react to anything… Did Mello's death affect him to where he could? The too weren't exactly what anyone could call 'close', but… that's what this feels like.'_

"… Near, can I ask you a question?"

"Ask anything you like," Near replied.

"You… You seem… Well, what I'm trying to say is…" the brunette sighed, carefully contemplating on how to word his thoughts. _'I don't wanna offend him, or anything.'_

Near silently and patiently waited for Matt to ask him whatever was on his mind.

The older boy heavily sighed and looked down to his criss-crossed legs, hands tightly clenched in his lap. "Were you… _Are_ you… affected by Mello's death?"

Matt waited for a moment, expecting for Near to say something. It seemed like a whole minute had passed before the brunette dared to raise his gaze to Near's face again. What he saw was Near's lowered head, resting in the palm of one hand. The upper half of his face was concealed by that hand. He looked like he was suffering from a migraine.

"Uh… Near, are you okay," he asked, slightly leaning towards the other boy's head.

Near did not utter a single response, or indicate that he was fine. He stayed completely still, almost as if he had frozen solid. He didn't even appear to be breathing at all.

Matt hesitantly began to hold up a hand towards the other boy's head, but slowly began to withdraw it. He was afraid to reach out to Near, for some reason… However, after a few more seconds of still silence, Matt could hear a small breath being inhaled and let out again. _'That question didn't even have to be verbally answered… I could _feel_ his answer.'_

Matt decided, to himself, to ask more of the albino genius. Maybe he could answer with words this time. "Near… please tell me what you're thinking… You really do seem to be affected…" _'He might deny it, but, then again, maybe he won't. As I thought before, Near was never one to ever reveal a shred of whatever he thought to anyone… After everything that's happened now, he just might do it.'_

The hand, resting on top of Near's knee, suddenly tightened into a fist. His forehead, which was still resting in his other hand, refused to lift. Matt could tell that Near wasn't ready to look him in the eye yet, and that was fine; he just wanted a truthful explanation behind Near's uncharacteristic, physical actions.

"… Honestly, Matt," Near finally spoke up again, "… knowing that Mello is truly gone makes me feel… ill."

"Ill?" Matt questioned. _'That's different…'_

Near began to lift his face up towards the brunette again. His usually large and calculating eyes were now drained of the unusual life they had always held. "Matt… can you tell me… tell me the final things Mello told you before…"

Matt stared in awe at how outwardly vulnerable Near was right now. Near was always so composed and held together, but, right now, it was like he didn't care _who_ saw his emotions slip. It was… awkward. "Y-Yeah, um…" he paused for a moment to recollect his thoughts. He had seen the sheer look of hopelessness in people's eyes before, but Near… It was just hard for him to picture, even though he was looking right at the boy's face. "When we were heading out, that day, Mello told me that no matter what was going to happen, I was going to get away… Well, as you could see, that didn't go according to plan."

Near didn't move or say anything, but waited for Matt to continue.

Matt understood that, and nodded once. "I told him he wasn't going to die, because that would be crazy. He then got on his motorcycle, and said, and I quote, 'If I die, then it could very well contribute to this case. In the end, Near is going to confront Kira… but he'll need me to finally catch him. This is how we'll beat him.'…" he stared at the younger boy quietly, before glancing towards the floor and letting out a brief sigh, "That was it. When I tried to say something else, he rode off."

"I… see," Near responded, a hint of a quiver revealed itself within his tone. "He was right… I really did need him. I always knew I would need his assistance… If Mello had only worked with me from the start…" his voice was beginning to trail off into thought.

"You might've gotten Kira sooner, and avoided unnecessary problems," Matt finished. _'It is the truth.'_

"Yes," Near answered, his tone smooth, "I believe that would have happened. Mello was always one to work in his own way, as I do myself, but, nevertheless, Mello made the ultimate sacrifice…" his tone now began to soften, "and I am unable to thank him in person."

Matt's eyes widened a little at hearing that. _'He only wants to thank him… really…'_

"It goes a bit farther than that, to be honest," Near spoke up again. "Would it trouble you if I were to ask you another question, Matt?"

Matt looked more directly into Near's grey orbs of desolation. "You don't have to ask that; I'll answer whatever you want."

Near, unnoticeably to Matt, half-smiled for a split second. "Matt… during your time with Mello, through all of this… did he ever, once, outwardly express his hatred for me? If so, I won't be surprised."

Matt slightly tilted is head in wonder. _'That's an interesting thing to ask… Has Near _really_ thought so much of Mello all this time—all these years? Near's not even hiding his emotions at all anymore. I know he's still holding back; that much is obvious, but… he seems more beat up about this then I was, somehow…' _"Well, now that I think about it, he was a bit frustrated to be working alongside you, at first, but… I honestly think he let go of that hatred a long time ago."

A little bit of life sprang back into Near's eyes, and Matt noticed. He wanted to smile outwardly, but quickly tucked it away. "We both know that Mello was an absolute hot-head, but, in the end, I really don't think he hated you anymore, Near. He was different that last day I saw him…" he smiled a little, in remembrance of the blond, "… I wouldn't worry about it anymore, Near. I'm sure Mello knows how thankful you are."

As Matt finished saying that, he saw how much more tranquil Near was becoming. What he said definitely calmed the albino boy. Matt could, visually, see Near's head lower slightly, a tiny, but serene, smile forming upon his lips. _'Near looks like he's feeling better now… I never thought he would have, somewhat, of a vague emotional display. I guess that shows me he really does have that normal, human side._'

"I… I believe you, Matt," Near told him, a hint of gladness within his voice. Almost as quickly as his happier tone had appeared, it was abruptly replaced with his usual monotone. "I appreciate that you took the time to speak with me about all of this… After getting you into a hospital, after that whole shooting incident, I had your car towed and repaired back to its original state."

Matt blankly blinked in silence to that piece of news. _'He even took care of my _car_? Man, what a guy…'_

"You're free to leave whenever you like," Near continued, surprising Matt a little more. "I thought that, once you were feeling up to it, you could go wherever you wanted. I doubt you would want to stay here…" his eyes trailed to the floor, and watched his own, index finger trace the carpet's simple pattern back and forth. "If you would like to leave now, then I, once again, would like to thank you for your involvement in the Kira case and telling me about Mello."

'… _What?'_ Matt thought, staring back into Near's eyes. _'He expects for me to leave after all that happened and what we talked about? Well, this is Near after all. He's probably used to being left alone… I don't think he would ever say it out loud, but maybe Near doesn't want me to leave either. He could use more people around him.'_

Matt suddenly grinned and shook his head. "Thanks for getting my car fixed… but, honestly, I think I want to stay with you and Roger."

Near's finger stopped its movement, along the floor. "Really… Why is that?"

"Well, there's no where for me to go really, and… I think it would be good for us to stick together."

Near raised his gaze back to Matt's, his eyes somewhat analyzing the brunette.

"Really, I'm serious," Matt assured him, "I don't think we should split up… I know Mello wouldn't do it before, but… I really do want to stick around. We could… use each other, you know?"

Near still didn't say anything, but Matt continued to speak. "I know you're L now, and you probably don't need me at all, but I think it would be good for me to stay," he relaxed his shoulders a little, "I could get to know you, and, in return, you could get to know me. So… would you be comfortable with the idea of me hanging around?"

The white haired teenager's head slightly tilted to the side, his eyes still seeming to investigate Matt's own pair of eyes. The long, silent stare was a little unsettling for Matt. He began to wonder if he had, perhaps, said a little too much. Soon enough, however, Near's posture and eyes began to relax again. He nodded once, giving Matt his answer.

"Was… Was that an 'okay' sign from you?" Matt asked, feeling awkward once more. _'I've gotta learn his lingo a little more.'_

Near breathed a small, noiseless chuckle and nodded again. "Yes, I'm fine with it, and, despite what you say, I could use another person here. There's always something that needs to be done, in this line of work… I would like your company very much."

Matt half smiled, feeling more confident now. _'I can tell how much he liked Mello. Near doesn't know me that well, but, in time, maybe Near could call me a friend. It sounds weird, but I don't think Near's ever really had one before. Even in this line of work, people really need to stay close.' _

"Can I ask a favor of you, Matt?" Near suddenly asked him. "There's something I have needed to do."

"Uh, sure," Matt agreed, "What is it?"

Near's expression started to become more solemn now. "I'm sure you know, as well as I do, about the way Mello died, right?"

Matt swallowed silently, and nodded once.

"There's no way we would be able to collect Mello's ashes, as they have long since disappeared in the wind…" Near took a moment to pause, before continuing. "I want to get a memorial plaque, made in his honor, and have it placed back at Wammy's House."

"That's… _really_ awesome, Near," Matt replied, rising to his feet. He then lowered a hand down to Near, who was still seated on the floor. "Come on, let's do that. We'll go and get started on that now, if you want. We should even stop by the place Mello and I were hiding out at. You might be interested in seeing it, though it's not much, and I have some things to pick up there."

Near glanced up at Matt's hand, and began to reach his own hand up towards him. He then hesitated, stopping his arm's movement midway. After a few extra seconds of stillness, Near's gaze reached Matt's entirely, and inclined his hand the rest of the way up to the brunette's extended hand.

Matt smiled to himself, as he took Near's hand, and helped him to stand up. Then, to Near's surprise, Matt laid his right arm across the back of Near's shoulders. Matt could feel Near tense up a bit at the unexpected gesture. He looked up at Matt, a slightly puzzled expression was crossed into his features.

Matt only grinned down at him, and began to lead Near towards the room's doors. "Once we get the plaque, are we going to have it sent to Wammy's, or will we go there—in person—to deliver it?"

Near was going to ask Matt why he had dropped his arm around his shoulders, but let go of the thought altogether. It was still strange, but Near figured this was just a tactic of getting to know Matt… However uncomfortable it would be. "We'll be in Japan for a little while longer, as I still have some matters to complete, but, once I'm finished, Roger, you, and I will go to Winchester to have it placed there in person."

Matt nodded, agreeing to that, as they stepped through the sliding doors, and started off down the right hallway. "I like that idea, myself… Hey, Near?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks again… for saving my life and all."

Near shook his head. "You and Mello saved my life, when I confronted Kira that day."

"Well, I guess we'll just have to thank each other then," Matt softly chuckled. "Gosh, we still have plenty to discuss."

"Discuss?"

"Yeah," Matt answered. "I want to know more about what your confrontation with Kira was like, and I can tell you more about Mello. I know you knew him pretty well, from his personality, but I'll tell you some other things too."

Near wordlessly responded with a definite nod of the head. _'Matt is open and adventurous like Mello was, but he is also more relaxed and balanced. I'm surprised he wants to stay here, with me and Roger, and wants to remain that way from now on. He even wants to 'get to know me'… No one's ever really said that to me before. In all actuality, I am comfortable with his presence already. Perhaps, if he wouldn't mind… I could call Matt my friend._'

* * *

><p><strong>Did I do well with this? I think I did, and thank Kezone once again for the inspiration for this story. It was a treat to write. I hope this was realisticly written well enough, for I was nervous about it. I'm glad I released it the way it is. This one is very dear to me.<strong>

**For the next short story, 9shadowcat9 and I have come up with something together. I had thought of an idea, months in advance, that I could possibly write out in the future. 9shadowcat9 and I, through jokes, came up with much more to write for it... I found it hilarious that what she was coming up with was very similar to what I was thinking of. In the end, we thought we would release the story idea together. **

**I hope everyone will enjoy what I write out next. Thank you all for reading this. **


	7. Trouble

**As I had mentioned, at the end of the previous short story, 9shadowcat9 and I created this one through a joke-like conversation. I based a good deal of it on what was said, and I know 9shadowcat9 approves of how this turned out. I hope everyone else, who reads this, approves of it as well. **

**Mello is in this one, and alive in it, unlike my last one...**

**To give a brief summary on this short story, picture Mello in an incredibly bored and irritated stupor. Imagine if he were to come up with an atrocious idea on how to cope with those feelings, and drag his brothers, (for the story) Near and Matt, into it... I will say this, Mello is not exactly in his 'clearest' and most 'intelligible' state of mind in this one... but it was fun to write.**

* * *

><p><strong>Story 6<strong>

**Trouble**

* * *

><p>It was just another, seemingly, normal day really. L, the greatest detective in the world, was busy with the task of unraveling various cases, he had involved himself in. His adopted sons—Mello, Near, and Matt—were also detectives, and were almost always willing to help him.<p>

Mello, the eldest of the three sons, was the type of person to not be expected to sit behind a screen and solve the mysteries—like L and Near. He craved nothing more than actually getting into the action himself! His other younger brother, Matt, was all for the action, as well, but Mello desired it far more… and he was entirely bored, at the moment. There was nothing to do in their little apartment, except play video games with Matt, work on his motorcycle, or even watch Near stack his card towers.

L had said that he, literally, didn't need any extra help from his sons this time around, and it was leaving Mello with an itching yearning to do something… If he didn't, soon, he felt that he would surely explode from his sheer boredom.

* * *

><p>'<em>Seriously, what's something interesting, challenging, and well worth my time and skill?'<em> Mello thought to himself, pacing back and forth across his room. The last remainder of a chocolate bar was hanging from the corner of his mouth. _'L's not letting me, or Near and Matt, do a thing! I don't see why he won't let us in on anything. It's so stupid! He's going to be busy for awhile… Because of this, I'm unable to really do anything… Think, Mello, think, what's something good I can do? I want to get back at L a little too, just a little…' _

The idea suddenly hit him like a freight train. The blond immediately halted his steps, the chocolate bar falling from his mouth and plummeting to the floor. His eyes widened in wonder and inspiration. _'I've got it… I'll join a mafia! I'm sure I can find one somewhere, in this city. Not to mention, I've always kind of wanted to try it out…'_

The door to his room suddenly opened. Mello turned to look, and saw both of his brothers standing there.

"Hey, Mels, you've been up here all day," Matt told him, as he walked into the room with Near following closely behind. "I know you're upset about not being involved in the cases, L's working on, but the three of us can figure out something to do together until he's done."

"Maybe you'll be less bored if we think of something together," Near added, agreeing with Matt.

"Bored? Who said I'm bored?" Mello questioned his youngest brother.

"You did," Matt and Near answered simultaneously.

Mello raised a brow for a second. "When?"

"For the past few days," Near replied in a 'matter of fact' tone. "You have been drilling that you were bored, into us, for the past few days."

The blond internally face palmed, and outwardly rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I got it, Near. Whatever, I think you're both right, and I know what we can do."

"You do?" Matt asked. "What's the idea?"

"Well… it's like a surprise," Mello replied. _'Matt and Near would totally be against the idea of temporarily joining a mafia. We've gone against mafias before… but that doesn't mean I can't trick them into coming with me.' _

"Surprise?" Matt questioned, his head slightly tilted. "Just what are you getting at?"

"I'll show you guys what I mean when we get there," Mello simply responded. "Do you have your car keys on you, Matt?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"Don't give the keys to him, Matt," Near firmly told him, putting a hand on Matt's shoulder. "There's a dangerously desperate gleam in Mello's eyes. I already know something bad will happen if he obtains those keys."

"_Pft_, you're worrying about nothing, Near," Mello snorted, laughing to himself. "You're obviously being paranoid."

"Am I, Mello?" Near evenly retorted. "We've all seen your ability of getting into unnecessary trouble. It's only natural for me to assume the worst, in your case."

"… That's ridiculous," Mello told him, flashing his brothers a very uncharacteristic, friendly smile. "I'm not as irresponsible as you say I am."

Matt cringed outwardly. "Yeah, um… We should just stay here, Mels."

Mello's icy blue eyes began to reveal a more intense, hazardous glow. Both Matt and Near took a step back, at seeing this. They both knew Mello was about to snap.

"_No_… We're going out," Mello told them, his eyes glaring. "Matt… hand over those keys… _now_."

Matt gulped in shock and fear to the sound of his older brother's low, bellowing voice. Mello never made expressions like that, unless disaster was about to strike… He didn't even know if he could move from his spot! The brunette suddenly felt his left arm being pulled from behind—Near was trying to get him to leave. _'He knows exactly how bad this could get too.' _

"Don't even think about it!" Mello raised his voice, hurrying past his brothers and closing the room's door. He put his back against the door, once it was firmly shut. "Either you hand me those keys, or I'll take them from you. Which one would you both prefer?"

Near, still clinging onto Matt's arm whispered, "He's gone insane," up to the brunette.

Matt warily nodded, knowing that getting away would not be easy. Mello was easily stronger than the both of them… How were he and Near going to avoid this situation?

"Never mind, I'm not waiting," Mello suddenly blurted out, as he began to approach his brothers. He smartly angled the two into a corner, trapping them completely.

Matt boldly stood in front of Near, blocking him from Mello's unpredictable behavior. "Mello, I know you're bored, but just calm down."

Mello crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. "For the last time, I'm _not_ bored… I just have an idea."

"I have an idea too," Near said, slightly peeking out from behind Matt's shoulder. "It's simple, we stay here, find something less dangerous to do, and not get into mess of trouble."

"Who said I was thinking of doing something 'dangerous'?" Mello asked. _'Though it's kinda true.'_

"Mello, we _know_ you!" Matt exasperatedly replied. "You always put the cart before the horse!"

Near nodded, entirely poking his head out from around Matt's shoulder. "Must I _really_ remind you of the Cincinnati bombing incident, you caused, last year? We're lucky no one was killed."

Mello stood there, unmoving and silent. His eyes now revealed annoyance.

"Yeah!" Matt agreed, "And how about the way you handled that group of escaping criminals, in Moscow, six months ago?"

Mello slightly cringed, remembering that incident. "That was… just a minor inconvenience."

"'Minor inconvenience'?" Near questioningly repeated. "Because of your self assured "absolutely no way this idea will fail" scheme, you were temporarily held hostage by them."

"Well, at least there wasn't a bad outcome," Mello quickly defended himself. "I didn't count on Russia's most wanted criminal to be so clever."

"Mels, you're _always_ supposed to expect the unexpected!" Matt exclaimed. "Just because he looked like an idiot, didn't mean he was one! He was 'most wanted' for a reason! Would you ju-"

"Okay, you know _what_?" Mello furiously seethed, cutting the brunette off and smacked his gloved hand against the wall, beside Matt and Near's heads. This action caused the two, cornered boys' hearts to skip a beat. "Enough time's been wasted, I'm taking your keys, and you're _both_ coming with me, whether you like it or not!"

Matt gulped silently, knowing that there was no way to win this battle. _'… Crap!'_

* * *

><p><strong>10 minutes later…<strong>

* * *

><p>"Mello, this is unnecessary, now unlock these handcuffs!" Near protested against his eldest brother. He and Matt had one of each of their wrists, unwillingly, cuffed to the inside of Matt's car's back seat's hand grips. "We already agreed to come along." <em>'Where did he even get these, anyway?'<em>

"I'm just thinking ahead," Mello told him, standing outside of the open, driver's door. He was hurriedly scribbling something down on a piece of small, white paper. "I don't really trust the two of you to actually stay put."

"Mels, come on, this is stupid!" Matt argued, pointing to his cuffed, left wrist. "Not to mention, uncomfortable."

Mello smirked, and turned to go back inside of the apartment. "Yeah, yeah, I wish I cared more. Be right back!" With that, he sprinted back inside of the building.

"… Near," Matt turned his head to the white haired boy, "didn't L tell us, two days ago, that he and Matsuda would be back from the next town over sometime today?"

"Yes, he did," Near answered, petulantly twirling a lock of his hair. "And, once again, Mello is going to do something that will result in utter chaos."

"Yeah," Matt agreed, sighing outwardly. "Not just for us… but for L too… Mello's really lost it, this time, huh?"

Near nodded affirmatively. "More than likely."

* * *

><p>Mello laid the short note, he had written for L to read, on the great detective's computer desk, and headed back out to the medium sized garage. <em>'Better get moving; L could return any time now!'<em> He hurried to the red car's driver's door, hopped in, and slammed the door shut behind him, igniting the engine with Matt's keys.

"Mels, do you think you could-"

"No, Matt," Mello interrupted, "for the final time, I will _not_ tell you guys where we're going!"

The brunette settled back into his seat, rolling his goggled eyes for a second. _'Jerk.'_

As the garage door raised itself, Mello hastily drove the car out into the road, skillfully swerved it into a complete circle, and bolted to the right. Matt and Near both jolted forward and back into their seats, accidentally knocking heads into one another's.

"Ow!" Matt winced, rubbing his right temple with his free hand.

Near held his free hand up to his now aching forehead, and sighed heavily. "Mello, could you _please_ not be so reckless?"

"You call _that_ reckless?" Mello questioned, chuckling in amusement. "Nah, that was just a little fun."

"Someone could have been driving past us, or standing there," Near retorted, restraining the urge to shout at his older brother. He was very tense about this whole situation. How could Mello resort to something like this? … Then again, Mello was the king of creating unimaginable predicaments…

"Ah, Near, quit being the 'rule follower' for once, and think about doing something more human," Mello shot back at him.

"I most certainly will not," Near responded. "As a human, I refuse to act irresponsibly."

"And that's why you're no fun," Mello replied, "I bet Matt will vouch for me, right?"

"Nope," Matt didn't hesitate to answer that. "Near's right; there's a difference between having fun, and being careless."

Mello glanced up at the rear-view mirror, one eyebrow raised. "That's new… Didn't know you were such a pansy, Matt."

"_Pansy_? No, that's just common logic!" Matt irritably replied. "Besides, shouldn't you slow down, already? You've been going thirty miles, over the speed limit, since you've started driving!"

"You're going to get us all in trouble again, Mello," Near tried pleading with the stubborn blond again. "The police will be following us in no time, at this rate."

"Just shut up, the both of you, and enjoy the ride!" Mello raised his voice, throwing the car's gear into an extra five miles of speed.

Matt's eyes expanded with every accelerated mile Mello thrust into his car. This was getting more and more out of hand and dangerous by the second! _'Okay, I've always known Mello to be a rebel, and a little unorganized, but he's acting straight up crazy! Has he lost his _mind_?' _

Near, out of slight nervousness, clutched his cuffed hand onto his door's grip, and tightly pulled up one knee into his chest. _'This can't possibly end well... How could it?'_

* * *

><p>"Boys? <em>Boys<em>?" L called throughout the small apartment, as he began looking around the premises. He and Matsuda had just gotten back from their assigned trip, and, to L's surprise, the garage's opening was all of the way up and Matt's car was missing. This wasn't what, necessarily, bothered him though. What bothered him was the fact that the apartment's door was wide open. It led him to think that something could have happened, while he was away. _'Mello's motorcycle is still in the garage. I would think that, if any sort of kidnapping occurred, the abductors would not only take the car, but the motorcycle too. Then again, who's to say there wouldn't have been just one?' _The world renowned detective shook his head. _'No, that probably didn't happen. Everything, here, is in place. There is no sign of a struggle, but that still doesn't tell me where they are.'_

"Hey, uh, L-Ryuzaki, I mean," Matsuda popped his head into the room L was currently searching—the kitchen. "I was just in your computer room, and found this," he held up the note Mello had left behind.

L turned around to see Matsuda's discovery, and hastily walked over towards him.

Matsuda handed over the strip of paper to L. "I only skipped over some of the words, but I understand what's going on. You're going to be shocked."

'_Shocked?'_ L's wide eyes immediately trailed down to the piece of paper in his hands, expecting that, perhaps, his sons were kidnapped after all… What he read was somewhat the same, but entirely unexpected.

"I… don't believe this!" L half exclaimed, clutching the note more tightly in his hands. "Mello's _really_ done it now, and, what's worse, he took Matt and Near too!"

"We should go after them!" Matsuda suggested, beginning to run off.

"Wait," L sharply muttered, halting the young, Japanese officer.

"Why? There's no telling where they're at!"

"Trust me," L said, sure of himself, "I'm quite sure we'll be notified, of where they are, soon enough."

"O-Okay," Matsuda replied, completely confused, "but, why, exactly?"

"Just trust me," L lightly repeated himself. A glow of confidence, and slight aggravation, illuminated his dark eyes. "I know the kind of mishaps Mello is capable of getting himself into." _'Now that I, somewhat, know what happened to them, I'm quite sure that they haven't been gone for very long. Mello is a very brilliant boy, but this is something he should have known better than to do. This note… Ugh, Mello.'_

The note, Mello had written, had mentioned Mello's thoughts of being unnecessarily kept in the dark about his father's current cases… The only reason, L had done that, was because the situation was more dangerous than it normally would have been—for the suspect claimed to know his sons' identities… He couldn't possibly take the chance of putting them in harm's way!

'_Oh, Mello, if only you knew... I hope he doesn't do anything too rash.' _

* * *

><p>"Mello, I'm telling you to slow down! It's a wonder the cops aren't chasing us, right now!"<p>

"Matt, lay off, would ya?" Mello snapped back at the brunette, who was currently trying to free his cuffed wrist. "I'm not hurting anybody."

"Mello, what kind of an answer is that?" Near asked him, his eyes a little wider than usual. "You're going way to fast; especially for my liking, and I'm surprised you haven't crashed into anyone, or anything. Like Matt had said, it's a wonder we don't have the police chasing us."

The blond rolled his eyes, slightly shook his head, and tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "For the last time, shut up, and the police are _not_ going to be after us."

Then, as if to screw with Mello's timing, a police siren rang loudly behind them. Matt and Near both turned around and witnessed two police cars steadily gaining on them. Near turned back around towards Mello. The white haired teenager could plainly see his eldest brother's reaction in the car's rear-view mirror—true, genuine shock and embarrassment.

"So… you were _saying_, Mello?"

"Ugh…" Mello mumbled, as he fully slammed his foot down on the car's gas pedal. "Shut _up_, Near!"

"Whoa, Mels, slow DOWN!"

Mello ignored Matt's plea and concentrated harder on the road he was zooming on. To put it simply, he wasn't about to lose to the cops.

"Mello, you're freaking me out!" Matt yelled, clutching onto the leathery seats with his free hand. "Just give it up!"

Near, on the other hand, was the total definition of a 'nervous wreck'. He was curled up into a ball, and his grey eyes were completely wide. He just wanted the car to stop!

"Mels, you're even freaking Near out!"

"Would _you_ just-"

All of a sudden, up ahead, Mello saw that he wouldn't be able to go any farther. The whole road, before him, was completely blocked by police cars. He had no idea why there were so many, and how they, somehow, knew about him, but it was going to rip a snare into his plan.

He sharply stomped on the brakes, and slewed the vehicle into a sideways, jolted halt. Once again, both Matt and Near suffered from the jolt. Matt lunged forward completely, his arm jerking backwards because of his cuffed wrist. He fell back into his seat, and groaned in utter pain. Unfortunately, for Near, because of the angle Mello had stopped the car, his head harshly struck against his window. He fell back into his seat, half conscious. His mind temporarily blanked, but it soon began to spin with confused, multiple thoughts.

"Step out of the vehicle!" An officer, with a speaker in hand, was beginning to approach the stopped car. "Put your hands behind your head, and get out of the vehicle!"

Mello, who was still gripping the steering wheel, twitched one of his eyes in annoyance. Sure, maybe he had been driving too quickly, but he wasn't about to let a problem like the police interrupt what he wanted to do. His sharp eyes darted back and forth, trying to find some sort of escape route… There wasn't one.

"Step out of the vehicle with your hands behind your head!" the police officer's booming voice ordered again.

Mello looked back the officer, than at his brothers behind him. Matt's face was twisted into an expression of discomfort and pain, as he rubbed his left arm's socket joint. Near was just awkwardly slumped down into his seat, his eyes halfway open.

'_Oh… I didn't mean to hurt them,'_ Mello thought, flinching inwardly. _'I guess I-'_

"For the _last_ time, step out of the vehicle with your hands behind your head!"

"Oh, for the love _of_…!" Mello growled under his breath, as he yanked the driver's door open and stepped out—standing straight up and putting his hands behind his head, as the officer had requested. This was one of, if not the most, mortifying situation Mello had ever gotten himself (and his brothers) involved into. As usual, it was his own fault, and he knew it. _'I was way in over my head… How could I be so _stupid_?_'

* * *

><p>Matsuda paced back and forth across L's small den area, hoping that they would hear from the boys soon. For as long as Matsuda had been working under L, and his genius sons, he couldn't help but feel connected to the family of detectives. Sure, he was only a simple-minded police officer, but he had promised himself that if, by some chance, if any of L's sons were in danger, he would be there. <em>'It would just be so much better if we could go look for them! Why is L so confident about <em>not_ sending out a search party or something?' _

"Matsuda," the ebony, messy-haired man spoke up, getting the young officer's attention, "believe me, worrying about this situation is not necessary. Now, please stop walking back and forth; the pattering sounds of your shoes are distracting."

Matsuda immediately stopped and turned around to face the awkwardly sitting detective. "How could I be distracting you from something? You're not even doing anything important!"

"Yes, I am," L calmly retorted.

Matsuda raised a brow in confusion. "No… you're not. Tell me, how sitting in that chair will help us find your sons."

"Simple, I am waiting for a phone call."

Matsuda raised both brows now and blinked. "Phone call… About what and from who?"

"Just wait and see," L told him, holding up one, long, index finger. "From what I am calculating, I should be getting that call soon."

"… Okay, Ryuzaki," Matsuda sighed, leaning against the wall beside L's chair. _'I guess he knows what he's doing… He sure does seem sure of himself… but I still don't get how he's sure.' _

* * *

><p>'<em>This… is ridiculous,'<em> Matt thought to himself. He, Mello, and Near had all been placed inside of the front, prison cell—once they had all been taken to the local jail. What annoyed Matt the most was that, instead of questioning him or Near on what happened, they were arrested along with Mello. _'Really, what was that all about? Couldn't those officers see that Near and I were, and still _are_, the victims? What's worse,'_ he looked to his right side, where he had one arm wrapped protectively around his younger, albino brother, _'Near's completely out of it. I don't know what happened to him, but he's so freaked out! He was close to going into a fit of hysterics when those cops shoved us in the back of one of their squad cars.'_

Near's current perspective of his surroundings, at the moment, was extremely altered and he had no idea why. He was fully aware of his name, along with his brothers' names, but it was as if his entire being had been replaced with someone else's—like a toddler's. He was far more sensitive now, than he usually would have been about anything. All he could presently do, for his own sanity, was cling onto Matt's right arm and hope that no one would make eye contact with him.

A rough looking man, who was probably in his late twenties, suddenly approached the trio from his spot in one of the cell's corners. He, purposely, walked up to Near's side, and put a hand on top of the young boy's head. Near clutched onto Matt's sleeve even more, and let out an almost silent whimper. _'W-Who is this guy; why is he touching me? Matt… Mello…' _

"Hey, stop!" Matt ordered the man, pulling Near closer towards his body. "He's freaked out, all right? Get your hand off his head now!"

The man, smirked in response, as his hand clamped down into Near's white locks of hair even harder now.

Near outwardly flinched, as he closed his eyes to try and calm himself. Usually, something like this would have mildly annoyed him, but… in this state of mind… it was frightening.

"Get _back_!" Mello shouted at the top of his lungs. He jumped up, and smacked the guy's left shoulder with his fist. The man, instantly, let go of Near's hair, but got very close to Mello—getting completely into the blond's face.

"Looking for a fight, punk?" the man asked, sizing Mello up.

"Back _off_," Mello growled at him. His knuckles cracked, as he looked more intently into the eyes of the toned, older man. "Touch my brother again, and you'll regret it."

The man smirked, his eyes revealing amusement. "And what're you gonna do about it, blondie?"

"Oh, I'll tell ya-"

"Mello, come on, leave it alone," Matt grabbed Mello's arm and sat him back down on the jail cell's bench with him and a still very shaken Near. "Doing this is only going to upset Near even more."

The man, who was still lingering around the bench, mockingly laughed at the trio. "Mello? Near? What kind of _stupid_ names are those? Geez, you guys are couple of wusses," he pointed at Near first, "This kid looks and acts like he belongs in an insane asylum," then he moved his finger to Mello, "and _you_… You just look like a chick!"

Mello's eyes blazed in annoyance and anger, as he snapped his gaze back up towards the taller man. "I _know_ you didn't just… That's it!" He hopped up, and swiftly threw a punch towards the taller man's jaw.

The other man, considering his build, thought it wouldn't hurt and decided to humor the boy. He let Mello punch him… but he didn't count on the punch setting off his balance and actually fill his nervous system with pain! He held his hand up to his, now, swelling jaw and looked down at the feisty, blond boy with wide eyes. In fact, every other person in the cell was wide eyed and surprised too—aside from Matt and Near.

Mello shoved him away, and stormed over towards the cell's bars. "Hey, officer, my brothers and I demand our one phone call!" he turned back around to his brothers on the bench, "Come on guys, we're calling Dad!"

Matt glanced down at Near for a second. The younger teenager was still, securely, holding onto Matt's arm, and his eyes were tightly shut. _'… L's gonna flip, and Near… What're we gonna do about _this_?'_

* * *

><p>"Just make it quick, all right, kid?"<p>

"Just move already, you fat, lazy slob."

"Mels!"

The rather large, and stumpy, officer glared at Mello for that comment, and allowed the blond access to the prison's phone. He muttered, "Stupid kid," under his breath as he stepped aside.

"Mels, would you _please_ try to not say anything outlandish?" Matt asked his older brother. "We're already in enough trouble, thanks to you! I hope you know how to explain everything to Dad," he still remembered to say that in public, "cause' I sure don't! I mean, look at Near. How are going to explain _this _and help him?"

Near had still not unattached himself from Matt's arm, and was beginning to shake like a frightened child. He was more afraid and confused now, then he was before. He still couldn't determine what was, exactly, going on.

"I'm getting there, I'm getting there," Mello said, while dialing the numbers to L's cell phone. "Don't freak out. Our dad's a genius; he'll know what to do."

Matt huffed at Mello and hugged Near's shivering body to his own, as an attempt to calm him down. _'I hope so, Mels… because I want Near back to normal.'_

* * *

><p>L's cell phone finally went off, causing Matsuda to jump slightly.<p>

"Is that it—the call you've been waiting for?" the Japanese officer asked L, as he watched the great detective pull the communication device out of his pocket.

L nodded, as he answered the phone and put it up to his ear. "Yes?"

"Dad?"

"Mello," L said, looking up at a much relived Matsuda. "Where are you all? Is everyone all right?"

"Well, for your first question… Uh, remember that joke you made about me winding up in prison one day?"

"You're… in prison," L lowly stated, raising his free hand up to his head and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Matsuda just stared at L with his mouth agape.

"Yeah," Mello continued over the receiver, his tone revealed his embarrassment.

"What for?" L mumbled, his eyes closed.

"What for?" Mello questioningly repeated. "Well…"

"Go on," L demanded. Even though his voice was held together, he couldn't help but reveal his more 'parental' side through his demeanor… and Mello could tell.

"I… was speeding," Mello answered. "Way over the speed limit… Somewhere over forty, I think."

"_Forty_?" L's eyes flew open at hearing that. "Did you have any idea of how dangerous that was?"

"Y-Yeah, but-"the phone was snatched out of Mello's hand. "Hey, Matt, give that back!"

"Dad!"

"Yes, Matt?" L replied, focusing more intently to the sounds in the background… It sounded like someone was whimpering. Why was that?

"I had no part of this; Mello just went insane, and kidnapped us!"

The pale, black haired detective continued to listen in silence. He could hear Matt and Mello fighting over who would speak to him, over the phone, and it was tiresome. "Boys! Let me talk to Near, if the two of you are going to argue."

He could hear the both of them mutter a long and awkward, "Uh," on the other side. That made him feel tremendously uncomfortable. "Matt, Mello… Is there something wrong with Near?"

Matsuda, beginning to feel nervous again, crouched down lower to L's phone—so that he could listen. _'Oh, God, I hope he's not hurt.'_

"Well… define which kind of 'wrong' you mean."

"Mello!" L raised his voice. "Did something happen to him?"

Mello paused, and looked back at Near, hoping and praying that he would magically go back to his usual, calm self… Near was now on the verge of crying. Mello cringed at the sight, and placed the phone back to his ear. "Yes… I think he bumped his head on something, when the police caught us. I slammed on brakes pretty hard, so… yeah. He's been acting really weird since then."

"… I'm coming over there right now," L suddenly proclaimed, beginning to hang up the phone.

"Wait, wait, Dad, don't you need to know which station we're at?"

"I'm sure I can figure that out, on my own," L sternly told him. "We'll talk about this incident, and your punishment, after I come to get you all. Now, stay put." As soon as that was said, the prison's phone's receiver clicked off.

'_Stay put?'_ Mello thought, as he stared at the phone in his hand. _'It's not like we're going anywhere.' _

"He's coming for us now, right?" Matt asked Mello, soothingly rubbing his hand across Near's back.

"Yeah, he's coming," Mello answered, placing the phone back into its place on the wall. "And I'm in a lot of trouble."

"You should be!" Matt retorted, getting slightly into Mello's face. "What kind of a brother does _this_?" he referenced to Near, using him as an example once again.

"Yeah, yeah, I _get_ it, all right!" Mello shouted back at the brunette. "I'm a terrible, horrible, selfish, stupid, older brother, _okay_? I was an idiot to do this, and I hurt him. Point blank, I suck."

"Go on," Matt told him, still trying to comfort his traumatized, younger brother. _'Poor Near.'_

"_Matt_!"

"That's enough shouting," the stumpy officer stepped up to them again. "Until your father comes, you're all going back to the cell."

Mello irritably glared at the largely girthed man. "Why don't _you_ go back to your desk and continue eating your weight in doughnuts?"

Matt took a step back, with Near still huddled into his chest. _'Oh, God…'_

* * *

><p>"Ten more miles and we're there, Matsuda," L told his escorting officer, as they drove down the road—to the designated prison.<p>

"And you're _sure_ this will be the right one?" Matsuda asked, briefly glancing at the great detective.

"I'm positive," L responded, clutching his knees even tighter into his chest.

"All right… so," Matsuda began again, "what're you going to do about Mello's crime?" _'I guess even the world's best detective can punish his own, detective sons…'_

"That," L started, his voice crisp, "depends entirely on how bad Near's condition, whatever it turns out to be, is. For Mello's sake, he better _pray_ that Near isn't internally damaged."

Matsuda said no more after that. _'Wow… he sounds kinda mad… That's scary.'_

* * *

><p>The trio of brothers were still waiting for their father to come for them, but Near's mind was still incredibly distorted. He was now more uncomfortable with a bunch of hooligans staring at him then he previously was. One man, in particular, kept trying to unnerve the poor boy by staring at him crazily… That was when Near found himself beginning to tremble in fear of the man.<p>

"Hey, are you okay, Near," Matt sympathetically asked the younger boy.

Near only let out a soft cry and covered his eyes with one hand.

"Would someone shut up the little, white rat?"

"Don't you _dare_ call my little brother that!"

"Mels, shut up, and sit down!"

Mello refused to listen to Matt, and continued to argue with his temporary cell mate. "You saw what happened to that other guy," he pointed his gloved hand in the direction of the scraggily, tall man he had punched earlier. The man was on the farthest side of the cell, and his jaw was slightly swollen from Mello's punch. "Mess with my brothers, and you've got another thing coming."

"Ha, that guy, over there's all talk and nothin' else," the second delinquent gruffly said. He was tall, as well, but far more muscular and possessed several tattoos on his arms and around his neck. There was, also, a rather large nose ring hanging from his nostrils. "Besides, I could take you out in no time flat! Now, shut up your little wuss of a brother."

"Well, maybe if you weren't scaring him with your ugly mug, he wouldn't be upset," Mello harshly retorted. He desperately wanted to pile drive this guy into the floor. He had noticed that guy staring at Near, right before Matt had said something earlier.

Matt rolled his eyes and sighed quietly. _'Mello, just shut your mouth!'_

"Heh, heh, you think you're some kind of funny man, kid?" the rough looking man questioned, as he began to laugh. "You're so stupid."

Mello crossed his arms and smirked. "Nah, I'm just unique."

Everyone in the cell, minus the guy that Mello punched earlier, all mocked the blond with an "_Oh_!"

The tattooed man roared with laughter. "Oh, so you _do_ think you're funny. You wanna try me, kid?"

Mello shrugged. "Can you actually surprise me, and say something intelligent?"

The small group of thugs, surrounding the main ruffian, all laughed, but silenced themselves once they saw the irritated look on their leader's face.

'_Tch, what a bunch of dopes!'_ Mello thought, as he continued to stare at the excessively muscled man.

Matt and Near watched from the bench, and said nothing. Matt figured Mello was on to something with his witty comebacks. At least it would distract this group of morons until L came… hopefully.

The man leaned away from the cell's bars and stood to his full height. He was a little over six feet tall, but that, and his appearance, did not intimidate Mello in the slightest. In fact, it only made him want to aggravate the man even more.

"You trying to make a monkey of me, kid?" the man questioned. "Me? _The_ Teddy Bear? _Me_?"

Near, who had heard the man say that, uncharacteristically giggled under his breath. "His name is funny."

"Shh," Matt hushed him, also quietly snickering along with Near.

'_Teddy _Bear_?'_ One of Mello's eyebrows arched. _'_Wow_… He's even stupider than I thought.' _He shook his head. "Believe me, I don't want to make a monkey out of you… Why should I take all the credit?"

The group of inmates, behind 'Teddy Bear', laughed even harder now.

"He gotcha boss," one of them snorted.

Teddy Bear glared at Mello, who was still mocking him with his smug grin. "Kid, I swear, I'll give you somthin' to be scared about if you keep that up!"

'_He's so pathetic, it's ridiculous!'_ Mello thought, as he watched the muscled man, a few feet away from him, huff with anger. "The only thing that scares me the most is that someone might hate me as much as I loathe you."

Teddy Bear's angry expression turned into a confused one, all of a sudden. He narrowed his eyes, in thought, and approached Mello. "Um… What's 'loathe' mean?"

Mello uncrossed his arms, and incredulously stared up at the rough man. _'Seriously?'_

"Boys!"

Mello turned his gaze to the front of the cell, and saw L quickly walking towards the bars. "Dad!"

"Oh, thank God, we can go now," Matt breathed a sigh of relief. Near's arm, as it had been since they arrived at the prison, was still firmly gripped around Matt's own arm. The two got up, and, along with Mello, prepared to leave the cell.

After the stumpy officer, from before, unlocked the cell's door, L looked at Near first, and studied his expression. The boy was relieved, he could tell, but Near's eyes were clouded with apprehension and he was desperately clinging onto Matt. L, carefully, reached out to Near, to see what his reaction would be. The white haired teenager slowly released his grip on Matt's arm, before quickly walking himself into L's embrace and wrapping his arms around the man's waist. Then, to L's shock, Near allowed some tears to fall. _'This is pitiful… It's like he went back to being a five year old! He's going to need therapy sessions to get back to the way he was!'_

All of a sudden, L's eyes looked up into Mello's. The usually, wide eyes were now glaring at him. This froze Mello to the spot where he stood.

"Aw, poor Near!" Matsuda sympathized from behind L. "Is he-?"

L, gently and suddenly, passed Near into Matsuda's arms, and hastily grabbed Mello's ear.

"Ow, Dad, _stop_!" Mello pleaded, trying to pull his head away.

L dragged Mello's head up to his face, and, bluntly, began spouting off his punishments. "I'm putting you under house arrest, and cutting off your chocolate supply, for a month. No 'ifs', 'ands', or 'buts'."

"But, D-!"

"I _said_," L tugged at the boy's ear even more harshly, "no 'buts'." He, then, let go of Mello's ear and turned back to Matsuda, who was sweetly hugging Near and humming some tune. "Matsuda."

The young officer stopped what he was doing, and looked at the detective. "Yes, Ryuzaki?"

"Don't do that," L ordered him. "That's only going to put Near back even farther in his recovery."

"Oh… right," Matsuda said, his face flushing slightly.

Mello rubbed his ear, while 'Teddy Bear' snorted at him from behind bars. "He's been daddy whipped!"

Mello spun back around, to face the moron of a man. "Shut _up_, you-!"

"Mels," Matt interrupted, staring his older brother directly in the eye.

"Yeah, what?" Mello exasperatingly answered. "What could you _possibly_ have to say now?"

The brunette abruptly put Mello into a headlock and started dragging him towards the prison's entrance—alongside L, Matsuda, and Near.

"M-Matt, quit it!" the blue eyed, blond struggled to remove himself from his younger brother's grip.

"Why?" Matt irritably questioned, "You've caused more than enough trouble today!"

Mello glanced up at Matsuda—who was, securely, holding Near's hand—and then up at his father—who was still watching him out of the corner of his eye. Mello just dropped the answer, and continued to let Matt drag him away. _'This incident tops the one, in Moscow, for sure… Cooped in the apartment, no chocolate… Life, at the moment, _sucks_.' _

* * *

><p><strong>... And, thus, Mello goes along with his well deserved punishment... and L has Near placed into therapy sessions. In my mind, for the future outcome, Mello's punishment is lifted—a month later—and Near goes back to the way he was before the incident. So... happy ending, with life lessons learned? <strong>

**I hope everyone liked this, and, 9shadowcat9, I enjoyed writing this story. I think we came up with something good.**

**For the next story, I hope to hear good ideas from anyone. I always like a good challenge, remember? **

**Thank you all for reading!**


End file.
